Manuel Locatelli chose Juventus over Arsenal last year but could still make the move to North London as the Gunners reportedly prepare to return for the Italian midfielder, reports suggest.
The 24-year-old shined with Italy in their successful Euro 2020 campaign last summer and was widely linked with a move to either Arsenal or Juventus, ultimately deciding to go with the latter. Locatelli joined the Old Lady on a two-year loan deal worth €25m plus €12.5m in add-ons, allowing Sassuolo to cash in on the midfielder.
As detailed by Calciomercato.com journalist Alessandro Di Gioia, Arsenal have not forgotten Locatelli after failing to sign him last year and they’re planning to return for the Juventus midfielder in the coming two transfer windows, wanting to add him to Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Locatelli has not had a particularly positive time in Turin and this season he’s been blighted by a muscle fatigue, further adding to his woes.
Massimiliano Allegri certainly didn’t help things during his now-infamous ‘chat’ with Corriere della Sera’s Mario Sconcerti. Talking about his Juventus midfield, he said: “Juve had been thought of in another way, with Rabiot-Paredes-Pogba in midfield plus Locatelli as a first-choice substitute.”