Report: Juventus open talks with unhappy Arsenal star

Jordan Russell (@JordRuss96)
02 mar 2018

Matteo Darmian remains Juventus’ number one transfer target next summer as the club prepares to bid farewell to veteran full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner and, possibly, Alex Sandro. The former Torino player is held in high regard by Bianconeri officials given the fact he offers great consistency on both flanks. He also represents a relatively low-cost option in today’s financial climate.

However, according to The Guardian, Beppe Marotta and Fabio Paratici are also weighing up a move for Arsenal right-back Héctor Bellerín, who is eager to leave North London and challenge himself elsewhere. Indeed, Juve attempted to lure the Spaniard away from N5 last summer, just as Barcelona and Manchester City did. Under contract until 2022, the Gunners reportedly value Bellerín at around €50 million.

With the 22-year-old likely to push for a move should the club fail to qualify for next season’s UEFA Champions League, they could be tempted to sell for significantly less than that in order to raise fresh funds as they look to reshape the squad. Juve have already made contact with Bellerín’s entourage and laid the groundwork for a concrete bid come the end of the season.