Former Brazil coach Felipe Scolari maintains Arthur Melo will be ‘perfect for Maurizio Sarri’s tactics’ at Juventus, while Barcelona can also relish Miralem Pjanic.
A statement confirms Arthur is joining Juve for €72m plus €10m in add-ons, but Pjanic is expected to be worth €60m and that announcement will come after the Italian stock exchange has closed.
Former Brazil coach Felipe Scolari maintains Arthur Melo will be ‘perfect for Maurizio Sarri’s tactics’ at Juventus, while Barcelona can also relish Miralem Pjanic.
A statement confirms Arthur is joining Juve for €72m plus €10m in add-ons, but Pjanic is expected to be worth €60m and that announcement will come after the Italian stock exchange has closed.
“Turin is the ideal place for Arthur,” former Brazil and Gremio coach Scolari told La Gazzetta dello Sport.
“It was already evident when he was 18 that he’d do well, as he played with his head held high, could pass the ball immediately, evade marking both for himself and those he was passing to.
“He’s not physically that strong, but with positional sense, he can make up for that. I think his ideal role is playing as a second midfielder who distributes the ball. He’s not a traditional deep-lying playmaker, nor a more advanced trequartista behind the strikers.”
Arthur took a very long time to accept the transfer to Juventus, as he had resisted the idea of leaving Camp Nou.
“It’s never easy to leave Barcelona,” insisted Scolari. “He had different expectations and this is why Italian football is the best option for him. I am sure he’ll be able to give his best and do it as himself, not be forced to change his playing style.
“I know Sarri and I really like him a lot, he’s a world class coach. Sarri’s attacking mentality is very interesting for Italy, as like me, he loves quality football.
“Arthur is able to play one or two touches, so Sarri is the perfect coach for him to express himself. I think it’ll be a wonderful union.”
Some Barcelona fans have complained at the exchange deal, but Scolari is confident they will learn to relish Pjanic too.
“It’s impossible to say now who will get the better of the deal, as both will be central to their new teams. If they win or lose won’t just depend on these players and how they adapt, but on the whole squad.
“Arthur is already a top player, I have no doubts. You don’t play for Barcelona and Juventus at 23 if you’re not. It’s not true that he’s been inconsistent at Barca, he just needs a change of scenery and might even get better at Juve.”