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Arsenal pushing to close deal for Arthur Melo

Arsenal are pushing to secure the signature of Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo this month, Tuttomercatoweb’s  Niccolò Ceccarini claims.

The Gunners have been linked with Arthur Melo and Dusan Vlahovic over the past three weeks, but they are not close to signing either player.

Negotiations are still ongoing behind the scenes, and it is now reported that the Gunners are pushing to close the deal with Juventus for Arthur.

The midfielder has already given the green light for the transfer, but the move is being held up as the Bianconeri won’t sanction a dry loan.

The Turin giants prefer to permit Arthur’s exit with the right for redemption, but that would also depend on them landing a suitable replacement first.

Max Allegri has already confirmed that Aaron Ramsey will be leaving this month. The club are reluctant to lose another midfielder in a short notice.

Borussia Monchengladbach’s Denis Zakaria appears a cost-cut option to replace Arthur with his contract expiring at the end of the campaign.

Lyon’s Bruno Guimaraes has also been linked but the €35m fee is a stumbling block. They could end up recalling Nicolo Rovella from his loan stint at Genoa.

Our view:

The Gunners were hoping to land Arthur on loan for the rest of the season before assessing whether they should pursue a permanent deal for him.

That option has now been thrown out of the window. The Bianconeri want at least an 18-month loan deal which should include an optional buy clause.

The Gunners could still meet those demands, but the decision will raise question marks, considering Arthur may not necessarily suit the Premier League.

The Brazil international has excellent distribution and dribbling ability, but he barely succeeds in winning tackles and does not possess the aerial prowess.

He could suit the Gunners in a central midfield role with an eye for forward passes, but could be vulnerable when it comes to dealing with counter-attacks.

A six-month loan would provide a fair judgement, and extending it beyond that period could hamper the club’s prospects of a new signing if Arthur struggles.

The Gunners have already had first-hand experience with Dani Ceballos’ extended loan stint, and should be wary of going through a similar route with Arthur.

Despite his mixed fortunes over the past 18 months in Turin, the Bianconeri could look for around €50m to sell the 25-year-old following his temporary deal.

Stats from Transfermarkt.com

Read: Predicted Arsenal line-up (4-3-3) vs Burnley, Arteta missing three midfielders.

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