Arsenal could re-emerge in the market to sign Juventus’s Daniele Rugani in the summer, as Arsene Wenger eyes defensive reinforcements ahead of next season.
Arsenal are ready to rekindle their interest in Juventus defender Daniele Rugani, according to TransferMarketWeb. The Gunners believe they can tempt the Bianconeri to sell the Italian international, and are ready to make an offer for him.
Arsenal’s abysmal season, which has been by far the worst under Arsene Wenger’s reign, has lacked everything that they have been known for in the past. Lack of enough goals, poor approach and most importantly leaking goals. Much blame has been put on their unorganised central defence, and Wenger is ready to make amends in the summer window.
Wenger is, thus, eyeing Rugani as the ideal candidate to shore up Arsenal’s defence for next season and could give him assurances of better playing time than he is currently getting in Turin. He also views the player as the ideal replacement for the out-of-sorts Shkodran Mustafi, who has been one of the culprits of the Gunners’ weak defence.
Arsenal were reportedly open to selling the German defender late in last summer’s transfer window, although a lack of established options within the club as well as in the market ensured he stayed at the club.
Mustafi, since then, hasn’t proven to be the ideal defender Arsenal could bank upon for the future, and Wenger is ready to sanction a sale for the German in the next window. If he is let go, then Arsenal believe Rugani would be an ideal candidate to replace him.
It was believed that last summer’s surprise sale of Leonardo Bonucci could have given Rugani a fresh start in the Juventus side and was expected to play a central role alongside, Giorgio Chiellini and Medhi Benatia at the heart of defence. But he’s spent most of the time on the bench, making only 21 appearances across all competitions.
Massimiliano Allegri has opted for an experienced backline and has ignored Rugani for the Champions League campaign as well, with the defender only making two appearances during the group stage.
Having had a tough time at Juventus, it comes as no surprise that the player is open to a move away from the Allianz Stadium in the summer, with Arsenal now the favourites to land him. The Gunners also had a bid rejected back in the summer of 2016, but haven’t ended their interest in him two years down the line.
There has been interest in the Italian from other clubs too in the past, but Arsenal’s persistent approach might help the win the race to sign the defender in the summer transfer window. The North Londoners’ need to tighten their defence as well as Rugani desire to play top-level football might see a deal suit all three parties.