Juventus are reportedly prepared to sell Arthur Melo in January if Arsenal are willing to include Thomas Partey in the deal.
According to a report from Sky Sport Italia, Arsenal have been handed a major blow in the pursuit of Arthur Melo. The Premier League giants were seeking a loan deal for the Brazilian international in January, but it appears Juventus have no intention of offloading their star midfielder on a temporary move. However, they are prepared to cash in on Arthur if Arsenal offer Thomas Partey in return.
It is a rather ambitious demand from the Bianconeri, considering the fact that Partey is considered the best midfielder at Arsenal. Although the 28-year-old Ghanaian midfielder has not quite been able to live up to the lofty expectations since joining the club from Atletico Madrid in 2020, he remains an integral part of Mikel Arteta’s midfield unit.
Partey is currently unavailable for Arsenal as he is representing Ghana at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations. His absence has already accelerated the club’s pursuit of a new midfielder, with Arteta keen on shoring up his options in the middle of the park, especially after Ainsley Maitland-Niles’s loan move to AS Roma earlier this month.
Arsenal have been primarily linked with a move for Arthur Melo of Juventus. It appears Arteta is a huge admirer of the former Barcelona man, largely due to his technical prowess and versatility in midfield. Recent reports had even suggested that the Gunners were in advanced talks to snap up the 25-year-old this month.
However, it seems Juventus are not too keen on offloading the Brazilian amid fears over the club’s lack of depth in midfield. The Bianconeri, after all, are already braced to lose Aaron Ramsey in January, with the Welshman linked with Newcastle United and Aston Villa in the Premier League.
Arsenal had been in contention to bring back Ramsey to the Emirates earlier in the season, but it won’t be surprising to see Arteta going after a more combative midfielder. Bruno Guimaraes is likely to emerge as the club’s number one alternative, should they miss out on a January swoop for Arthur.
The Lyon midfielder has enjoyed tremendous success in Ligue 1 and has seen far more regular football than Arthur over the past couple of years. At the same time, Arsenal are set to face stiff competition in the pursuit of the Brazilian international, with Everton and Newcastle United also involved in the chase.