Juventus set to hold talks with Barcelona star - Reports
Juventus are set to hold talks with Barcelona on the possible return of Miralem Pjanic.
If reports from Marca in Spain are to be believed, Barcelona are keen to offload the likes of Pjanic and Samuel Umtiti ahead of next season. The Old Lady have appeared to have emerged as potential suitors for Pjanic, as the player played four seasons and impressed under Max Allegri.
It is also understood that after just 19 La Liga appearances, the midfielder would be happy to return to his former club. The same report states that Pjanic's representatives met with Barcelona, although bringing him back will not be an easy task, as he is contracted till 2024.
Another factor that could influence the deal is the immediate future of Aaron Ramsey. Should the former Arsenal man move on, Juventus will have enough to accommodate Pjanic's wages.
While Juventus are attempting a rebuild with Max Allegri back at the helm, Barcelona are looking to trim their wage bill in the midst of a financial crisis. In that perspective, selling Pjanic is viewed as the right option for the Blaugrana.
Juventus are currently well-stocked in the midfield department, with Rodrigo Bentancur, Weston McKennie, Adrien Rabiot and Arthur Melo in the roster. The latter, was in fact, part of the deal that saw Pjanic move to Barcelona.
The Bianconeri had paid the Spanish giants €72 million for Arthur with a further €10 million in potential add-ons.
Do Juventus need Pjanic's services?
Miralem Pjanic is one of the old-fashioned, technically gifted playmakers. He's not the strongest player on the pitch, nor is he the fastest. It's his touch, presence and overall spatial intelligence that allows him to ping passes all around the field.
At 31, though, he may not be the best fit for Juventus, a club that is looking to regain the Serie A title as well as make a mark in the Champions League. Although Pjanic was a fabulous addition under Allegri in 2016, the likes of Rabiot and Arthur bring more energy to the Juventus setup.
Thus, it will be interesting to see if Juventus press for their former midfield metronome ahead of the new season.
A new article, every week. Check the latest transfer news from Fabrizio Romano here.