Juventus are considering rivalling Arsenal and Liverpool for the summer transfer of Lille and Portugal midfielder Renato Sanches, according to Calciomercato.it.
The Serie A heavyweights are desperate to strengthen their midfield in the off-season after the return of manager Massimiliano Allegri. The Italian has marked Sassuolo star Manuel Locatelli as his top-target but is open to further arrivals beyond his compatriot.
Allegri’s need for Juventus to sign further engine room options will also grow should Aaron Ramsey and Rodrigo Bentancur leave. The Allianz Stadium exit door remains open for both this summer, although Ramsey’s agent shut down a return to Arsenal.
Allegri admires what Sanches could offer Juventus as the Euro 2020 star has ‘the perfect characteristics’ for his system. Liverpool are also still monitoring the 23-year-old as they weigh up options to replace Georginio Wijnaldum after he joined PSG.
Lille would demand around €30m (£26m) to sell on the back of winning the Ligue 1 title last season. It would mark only marginal profit on the €25m (£21.5m) they paid Bayern Munich in 2019, per 90min who cite Arsenal as a potential suitor for Juventus target Sanches.
The Gunners are readying a £250m summer spending spree as Mikel Arteta looks to revamp his unit at the Emirates. Arsenal have contacted Lille, via intermediaries, to register their interest in Sanches and asked to be kept updated.
Juventus pose serious threat to Arsenal in Sanches race
Juventus will pose a serious threat to Arsenal in any race to sign Sanches after his superb Euro 2020 performances. The Portuguese dynamo could see a move to Turin in a better light than north London, given their title-winning record and Champions League presence.
Arteta would struggle to show Sanches a comparable package at Arsenal after failing to qualify for any European competition. The Gunners have not been serious Premier League title contenders since Leicester City won the division in 2015/16, either.
Sanches, then, may see Juventus, not Arsenal, as his fast-track back to the top after flopping at Bayern Munich. He has proven any doubters about his big-game potential wrong at Euro 2020 with dynamic box-to-box displays, which would be ideal for Arsenal or Juve.
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