Talking to the Don Robbie YouTube channel, Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Arsenal are no longer interested in Manuel Locatelli.
The midfielder has become highly sought after around Europe following an impressive showing at the Euros. But the club that is in pole position to sign him looks to be Juventus as the player wants to go there.
Speaking about the Gunners’ interest in the 23-year-old, Romano said:
“I am also told that at the moment Arsenal are not pushing. They know that the player wants to go to Juventus, and they are focusing on other things. So, that’s why I don’t see Locatelli joining Arsenal this summer.”
The north Londoners have been linked with the Sassuolo star in the past, it appears that he is on his way to Turin. Though the English giants have reported to have made a bid for Locatelli, they seem to have backed off now.
Arsenal Fever View
If the Gunners feel that the player does not want to join them or is keener on another club, it makes sense for them to look for alternatives. Pursuing a player who does not want to join is not a good idea and will only end up hurting the club.
What is encouraging is that the north Londoners are interested in signing the right kind of central midfielder. Locatelli has all the qualities needed to form a wonderful partnership with Thomas Partey as he can make a difference in both attack and defence. But now that the interest in him has ended, it is time to look elsewhere.
The Gunners have decided to keep hold of Granit Xhaka which could also be a reason why they are not keen on bringing in a player for this position. There is still some time left in the transfer window so, we will get to know if a new midfielder will be joining or not.
Based on the decisions that Arsenal have made this summer, it looks like they are going to stick with the duo of Partey and Xhaka. Despite them not being interested in Locatelli anymore, they could be on the lookout for an alternate.
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