Juventus are planning to hold talks with Arsenal to sign Gabriel Magalhaes and would be open to offering Arthur Melo as part of the deal for the defender.
According to Italian publication Tuttosport, Juventus sporting director Federico Cherubini is travelling to London to meet with Arsenal and hold talks over a summer move for Gabriel Magalhaes. The Serie A giants are open to offering Arthur Melo to the north London outfit as part of the deal to sign the centre-back.
Gabriel joined Arsenal in the summer of 2020 and has become an integral part of the team under Mikel Arteta. He and last summer signing Ben White have forged a formidable pairing at the heart of the Gunners’ defence, aiding their push for a top-four finish in the Premier League, although they are trailing London rivals Tottenham.
Gabriel’s performances have not gone unnoticed as Barcelona showed an interest in him, while Juventus are also keen on signing the Brazilian defender. The Bianconeri are preparing for life without Giorgio Chiellini, who will leave the club this summer as his contract is expiring.
Even though Juventus have Matthijs de Ligt, Daniele Rugani and Leonardo Bonucci, another top defender would be a welcome addition as Bonucci is also entering the final phase of his career. To that end, Gabriel has emerged as a top target for Massimiliano Allegri’s side heading into the summer.
Despite Gabriel’s standing as a permanent fixture in the lineup, recent reports indicated that Arsenal could be open to selling the 24-year-old in the summer. And now, Juventus are ready to step up their pursuit as Cherubini is in London to hold talks with the north London giants over the possibility of signing the Brazilian centre-half.
In case they do consider selling Gabriel, Arsenal would likely demand a sum of around €50-60 million for his services. Such a fee could be an issue for Juventus due to their financial situation. As a result, they are now looking at the prospect of engineering a player-plus-cash deal by offering Arthur Melo as part of the operation.
The former Barcelona midfielder was a target for Arsenal in January and even came close to joining the Gunners before the move collapsed. However, they have retained their interest in the Brazilian and could look to snap him up as Mikel Arteta is looking for midfield additions to support Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka.
