Arsenal are reportedly set to join Chelsea in the pursuit of Juventus defender Daniele Rugani in the January transfer window.
As per a report from the Daily Express, English giants Arsenal are plotting to hijack Premier League rivals Chelsea’s pursuit of Italian centre-half Daniele Rugani, by making a move for the Juventus man in the winter transfer window.
Rugani has been on Chelsea’s radar since the summer window. The Blues’ new boss Maurizio Sarri was keen on signing the Italian, having worked with him during his time as the manager of Empoli. The West Londoners were believed to be closing in on a £44 million move for the 24-year-old, but the move collapsed at the last minute, with Rugani intent on staying at Juventus.
Chelsea have the second best defensive record in the Premier League this term, with the first-choice defensive pairing of Antonio Rudiger and David Luiz impressing. However, Sarri is understood to be not entirely convinced of his backup options.
Veteran Gary Cahill has struggled for game time and is likely to be headed out of the club in January, while Andreas Christensen has failed to build upon a breakout campaign under Antonio Conte last year. And as a result, the Blues remain keen on signing Rugani when the transfer window opens.
However, their pursuit of the Juventus star is set to become complicated, with Arsenal also set to throw their hats in the ring. The Gunners have made an impressive start to life under new manager Unai Emery, but defensive problems have persisted to some extent, despite the club bringing in seasoned campaigner Sokratis Papastathopoulos in the summer.
Club captain and veteran defender Laurent Koscielny has struggled with injuries and could be allowed to leave the club, while Shkodran Mustafi has been inconsistent again. Konstatinos Mavropanos is also battling with injuries, leaving the North Londoners short on numbers at the back. This has led to Emery identifying Rugani as a viable target ahead of the January window.
Rugani, whose contract with Juventus runs till 2021, has grown frustrated at the lack of game time coming his way in Turin. The Italy international has made just three appearances across all competitions so far this term, with the likes of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci, Medhi Benatia and Andrea Barzagli all ahead of him in the pecking order.
This situation has led to the 24-year-old seeking a move away from the Italian champions in January. Rugani has reportedly set his sights on a move to England and to that end, he is believed to have started a crash course in English language.
Chelsea seem to have a slight advantage over their London rivals, given the 7-time capped Italian international’s history of working with Sarri at Empoli. Moreover, Arsenal also need to cut down on their wage bill, before being able to bring in new faces into the squad.
As things stand, all signs point towards an exit in the winter window for the talented Rugani, with a move to England on the cards. But it remains to be seen if he ends up at Chelsea or Arsenal.
