Report: Juventus eye Arsenal star who feels disillusioned playing for Arsene Wenger
What’s the rumour?
According to reports in England, Juventus have identified Arsenal right-back Hector Bellerin as a possible transfer target this summer. If reports are to be believed, the player has grown increasingly frustrated at Arsenal because of their inability to challenge for trophies anymore.
He has also started questioning his career direction at the club as he feels he is stagnating at the Emirates and reportedly wants a fresh challenge.
In case you didn’t know...
Bellerin has been a regular starter at Arsenal for the past four years. A string of strong performances has helped him cement his place at right-back.
A Barcelona youth product, Bellerin is extremely quick and is one of the fastest players in Europe. This, combined with a high offensive output, has helped him make 150 appearances for the club even though he is only 22 years old.
The heart of the matter
Ever since Dani Alves left for PSG, Juventus has never been able to find an ideal replacement for the Brazilian. Stephan Lichtsteiner and Mattia De Sciglio have often been employed at right-back but Allegri would like an offensive-minded player to fit in his favoured 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 set up and Bellerin would be an ideal option.
The defender seemingly wants a fresh challenge and the Italian champions are ready to make a move for him in the summer. His contract runs out only in June 2022 and he currently earns £115,000 a week.
There have been multiple attempts in the past from Barcelona and Manchester City to sign the Spaniard, but Arsenal have always maintained a tough stance on the player claiming he will never be sold.
Rumour probability: 7/10
We can believe that there is some truth in the news as many reports are coming out from England today suggesting the same. Things will get clearer in the coming weeks.
Video: The best of Bellerin in 2017
Author’s take
With Arsene Wenger's future itself hanging by a thread, players like Bellerin may feel the need to look for a fresh start elsewhere. Juventus may be the ideal platform for Bellerin to develop because of their manager's liking towards attack-minded full-backs.
This may prove to be a huge loss for Arsenal who are already short of options at right back and they will want to do everything possible to persuade him to stay. If he does leave, however, they will get a high transfer fee thanks to his long-term contract.