Juventus could effectively rebuild their midfield for free under new coach Thiago Motta, by extending Adrien Rabiot’s contract and bringing Arthur Melo back from Fiorentina.
The Bianconeri had been accustomed to a 3-5-2 formation under Max Allegri, but showed promise switching to 4-3-3 under interim manager Paolo Montero.
It remains to be seen which approach Thiago Motta will take, but he favours players with good passing skills rather than those who can simply break down opposition moves.
Rabiot and Arthur willing to give Juventus another go
According to Tuttosport, although Rabiot was very fond of Allegri, he is also prepared to consider remaining at Juventus with Thiago Motta.
His mother and agent Veronique has already held some meetings to discuss a new contract, as his current deal expires on June 30.
The France international is settled in Turin and also has the added bonus of Champions League and Club World Cup qualification, which is an advantage over the other main potential candidate for his signature, Manchester United.
It would save close to €30m required to find a suitable replacement of his experience.
Meanwhile, Rabiot can form a new midfield with Arthur Melo, who is set to return from his loan experience at Fiorentina a revitalised player.
The Brazilian has been full of praise for the way Thiago Motta approaches tactics and feels he can finally have his say at Juventus.
I’ve been thinking the same way about Arthur. He has quality and fully deserves another chance.