Premier League rivals Spurs and Arsenal are reportedly battling to sign Juventus’s seldom-seen Serie A stopper Merih Demiral.
Juventus defender Merih Demiral is keen to test himself in England, according to Turkish Football, with Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal both interested in a Turkey international.
Quick across the ground and ferocious in the tackle, Demiral is pretty much the prototype of the perfect Premier League defender.
The 21-year-old genuinely loves throwing his body on the line, as seen in Wednesday’s Man of the Match performance away at Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, and would certainly add some much-needed steel to the respective backlines of Arsenal or Spurs.
And, after starting just one Serie A game since joining Juve from Sassuolo, the report claims that Demiral is not too happy with life under Maurizio Sarri and would be open to the idea of swapping the Scudetto winners for the Premier League.
Juve, however, will only entertain offers in excess of £30 million, a fee that would see them almost double their money.
As reported by JuveFC, Demiral idolised Manchester United legend Nemanja Vidic in his formative years and the Serbian’s influence is clear to see, from the shaven head to the way he attacks the ball like a bear hunting a salmon.
Arsenal have been crying out for this sort of beast-like central defender for years now and, with Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld out of contract next summer, Demiral would also be welcome on the other side of North London.
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