Juventus have signed Turkish right-back Rasim Celik on a free transfer, a move that has reopened a long-standing and often contentious rivalry with Roma. The transfer was confirmed following an agreement with the player, despite previous verbal understandings with Roma, and has reportedly angered officials at the Roman club.
The move represents the latest chapter in a history of transfers between the two Italian giants, stretching back decades. The animosity dates back to 1970 when Roma were forced to sell young talents such as Capello, Spinosi, and Landini to Juventus due to financial difficulties. While Roma received a financial compensation package and players in return, the circumstances of the sales sparked outrage among supporters.
The rivalry intensified in the 1980s with the pursuit of Zibi Boniek, who ultimately chose Juventus over Roma despite having visited the club’s training facilities. Further friction arose in 2004 with the transfers of Jonathan Zebina and Emerson to Juventus after drawn-out negotiations, a situation that was seen as a betrayal by many Roma fans. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, players such as Angelo Peruzzi, Thomas Haessler, Miralem Pjanic, Mirko Vucinic, and Wojciech Szczesny moved between the clubs.
More recent contested transfers include Paulo Sousa in 1994, who Roma believed they were close to signing before Juventus intervened. In 2001, Antonio Cassano became a point of contention, with Roma ultimately securing his signature for a substantial fee. Radja Nainggolan and Juan Iturbe were also targets of both clubs in 2014, with Roma again prevailing. More recently, Paulo Dybala and Matias Soulé moved in the opposite direction, seemingly easing tensions. However, the acquisition of Celik, along with reported Juventus interest in Pellegrini, has reignited the rivalry and brought renewed focus to the relationship between current coaches Gasperini and Ricky Massara, the latter having recently departed Roma following disagreements with Gasperini.
Celik joins Juventus as a free agent, adding depth to their right-back options. The transfer is expected to provide competition for existing players in that position and strengthen Juventus’ defensive capabilities. The move also signifies Juventus’ continued ambition in the transfer market as they look to build a competitive squad.
