Arsenal are pushing to sign Arthur Melo on loan this month, but Juventus will allow the midfielder to leave only if they can sign a replacement and therefore, have identified Denis Zakaria of Borussia Monchengladbach as the perfect candidate.
Arsenal have been hunting for a new midfielder this transfer window. Partey and Elneny’s involvement in the AFCON Cup has left Mikel Arteta short for options in the middle of the park. The Gunners were linked with a move for Bruno Guimaraes, but the transfer seems more likely to materialize in the summer.
Arsenal had their eyes on Arthur for some time and have reignited their interest this January. The North London club have now identified the Brazilian as a stop-gap solution to their midfield issues, and want to bring him to Emirates on a loan deal.
The former Barcelona midfielder has fallen out of favour under Massimiliano Allegri. The Italian manager has lined Juventus up mostly in a 4-4-2 or 4-3-3. Manuel Locatelli, Rodrigo Bentancur, Adrien Rabiot and Weston McKennie are all ahead of the Brazilian in the pecking order.
The 2019 Copa America winner has only 8 appearances in Serie A this season, with just 4 as a starter and has been able to accumulate only 591 minutes under his belt across 4 competitions. With the FIFA World Cup approaching at the end of the year, Arthur will be looking to reclaim his spot in the national team. Arsenal’s current predicament all but guarantees regular minutes for the Gremio youth product.
However, the Old lady are willing to let the 25-year-old midfielder leave, only if they secure the signing of another midfielder. Arsenal’s willingness to pay Arthur’s wages for the remainder of the season makes the deal all the more likely to happen.
Juventus have lined up Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Denis Zakaria as a replacement signing for Arthur. The Swiss international is out of contract in the summer, and the Turin club believe they can land the midfielder for a cut-price of just £6million. The Italian club was originally interested in Chelsea’s Ruben Loftus-Cheek, but made no headway in reaching an agreement.
Di Marzio (via Metro) reports that Juventus have switched their attention towards Denis Zakaria if Arthur Melo joins Arsenal this January. This comes as bad news for Manchester United. Zakaria is a player recommended by Ralf Rangnick and fits well in his 4-2-2-2 style.
United reportedly presented the contract terms and even made an offer to Zakaria’s agent. However, the Red Devils have been caught rubbing their heels, and the failure to close out a deal has opened up opportunities for the Italian club, who have pulled ahead in the race.
Stylistically, Denis Zakaria is a better fit for Juventus than Arthur. He would be a perfect partner to Manuel Locatelli in Allegri’s 4-4-2, or in a 4-3-3 too. Rabiot’s inconsistency and Betancur’s struggles could help the Swiss midfielder consolidate himself as an important fulcrum in the Juventus line-up.
However, the Serie A club need to clear space for the midfielder to join giving Arsenal the leverage. The Gunners want to sign Arthur only on a loan deal, with an option to buy. Unless Juventus permanently move the Brazilian, they do not have room for another signing.
Now, to solve their difficult financial situation, the Serie A club have presented the Gunners with an unusual suggestion. Juventus are willing to allow Arthur to join Arsenal on loan in January if the North London club agree to an 18-month deal, according to the latest reports from Gazzetta dello Sport (via Metro)
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Meanwhile, English journalist Simon Dobson reported that personal terms were not an issue for the Red Devils to acquire the Monchengladbach star. This gives United an upper hand over Juventus. However, if Rangnick wants the ex-young Boys player as a part of his squad, United must advance the negotiations and finalize the deal as soon as possible.
https://twitter.com/Simon_Dobson_/status/1481011243502735362
Delay in transfer talks could lead to a bidding war situation, leaving Manchester United in a lose-lose scenario. The Red Devils may either miss out on an important target or be forced to inflate an already bloated team wage structure.
Is Arthur the signing Arsenal require? Should Manchester United snap up Zakaria, or look for an option elsewhere? Let us know in the comments below.
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