Barcelona have intensified their interest in signing Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic this summer, according to a report in ESPN.
It is said that both the Spanish champions and the player are keen for the deal to be processed but there is an awareness that the Old Lady will only negotiate on a player-exchange deal.
The report is in agreement with a similar report last week in Gazzetta dello Sport, via El Mundo Deportivo, saying Arthur Melo is Juve’s prime target but the player may not be open to a move to the Italian champions.
Arthur has a contract with the club until the summer of 2024 with a €400m release clause, while transfermarkt gives him a market value of €70m.
“We are talking to Barça as we do with many important clubs because it will be a difficult summer,” Juventus head of transfers Fabio Paratici told Sky Sports last month, as cited by Diario Sport.
Other alternatives such as Arturo Vidal or Ivan Rakitic may be offered to Juventus.
It is said that there are only a handful of players in Quique Setien’s side who will not be sold under any circumstances, with Lionel Messi, Marc Andre Ter-Stegen and Frenkie de Jong among them.
A recent report in El Mundo Deportivo claims this is the fourth attempt the Blaugrana have made to land Pjanic with Andre Gomes, Paulinho and Arthur signed on the other three occasions.
