Manager says 'world class' attacker is not part of his plans after holding transfer talks with Arsenal
????
Arsenal’s only signing so far this summer is Riccardo Calafiori, who joined from Bologna after an impressive season in Serie A.
Though, reports are suggesting that The Gunners are close to signing Mikel Merino, who’s starred for Real Sociedad over the last few years.
Once that deal is complete, sporting director Edu Gaspar could move to sign an attacker, which is an area Mikel Arteta is thought to be prioritising.
With that said, it’s just emerged that one of Arsenal’s rumoured targets has now been publicly excluded from his manager’s plans.
Thiago Motta publicly excludes Federico Chiesa from his plans
Arsenal have held talks with Federico Chiesa’s agent this summer as he looks set to leave Juventus this summer.
The Italy international has just one year remaining on his deal, so Juve are keen to recoup a transfer fee now to avoid losing him on a free in a year’s time.
That’s sparked interest from a number of clubs in the Premier League, including rivals Tottenham and Chelsea.
Now, Juventus boss Thiago Motta has just publicly confirmed that Chiesa is not part of his plans this season.
“Our position on Federico Chiesa hasn’t changed. He’s not part of our plans,” Motta said, via Fabrizio Romano.
“We’ve talked. It’s a demonstration of the respect I have for everyone. Transparency, clarity, that’s the way I communicate with my players.”
Federico Chiesa price tag
Chiesa is rumoured to have had his price tag slashed to just £13m.
It was initially £25m at the start of the window but with just 12 days remaining until the deadline, evidently, Juve are becoming desperate.
So, perhaps Arsenal should test their resolve towards the end of August to see if they can dwindle that down even more.
Chiesa could become one of the bargains of the summer.
What's Your Reaction?
