According to Sky Italia, Juventus and Tottenham have reached a verbal agreement structured as a €3m loan with a conditional obligation to buy worth €30m, triggered if certain performance conditions are met - reportedly linked to European qualification and a minimum number of Sarr's appearances over the season. Only the precise terms of that obligation remain to be finalised.
Sarr's exit has been building for days. Roberto De Zerbi confirmed after Saturday's 2-0 defeat at Newcastle that the Senegal international had asked to leave before Tuesday's deadline, and his camp had already explored personal terms with both Galatasaray and Monaco before Nottingham Forest entered talks over a loan-with-option deal.
Beşiktaş also registered interest, but it is Juventus who now look best placed to win the race, having turned to Sarr only after Kessié rejected a return to Turin in favour of a fresh Atalanta spell.
For Juventus, the move addresses an urgent need in central midfield following Khéphren Thuram's fresh knee setback, with Sarr seen as offering similar physical and defensive qualities to those Kessié would have brought.
The 23-year-old, who joined Tottenham from Metz for around €17m in 2021, would become the second Spurs player to move to Juventus on loan this summer following goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario. Should Juventus qualify for Europe and Sarr feature regularly enough across the campaign, the loan would automatically convert into a permanent transfer - giving both club and player a clear incentive to make the arrangement work from the outset.
Sarr made 23 competitive appearances for Tottenham last season but has found himself squeezed out of De Zerbi's plans this summer amid heavy investment in central midfield, with the club having already brought in Sandro Tonali and Mateus Fernandes.
At Juventus, head coach Luciano Spalletti is expected to use Sarr as competition for Manuel Locatelli and Douglas Luiz, giving the Senegal international the regular football he has been unable to find at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season.