Juventus eye swap deal for £30m + attacker for Arsenal midfielder, Arteta weighs up £35m striker ‘assault’
Arsenal youngster Charlie Patino is reportedly “all over” Europe while Juventus are considering a possible replacement.
On Thursday night, the Gunners’ excellent first part of the season suffered a minor setback as West Ham won 2-0 at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal would have overtaken Liverpool in the Premier League had they won, but instead they remain in second place, two points behind the Merseysiders.
There are also concerns that their forward line will not score enough goals this season to help them to the title, with Gabriel Jesus having scored just three goals and one assist in 14 Premier League games, while substitute Eddie Nketiah has scored five goals in 18 games.
But Arsenal may need to sell before they can buy in January if they want to bring in another striker, and the possible sale of Patino could help their transfer strategy.
Patino, one of the club’s hottest prospects, impressed at Blackpool last season and has made several good performances for Swansea this season.
Juventus and AC Milan are interested in the Arsenal youngster, with agent Michele Fratini claiming earlier this month that the Serie A giants are interested in Patino.
Fratini told TV Play: “Charlie Patino is an ‘all-round player’, he can play in front of the defense, as a playmaker or as an attacking midfielder. He has a lot of quality and is loved by many in England because he is very talented. He is perhaps Arsenal’s best player at youth level.
“I am not exaggerating when I say we have a player who can make a name for himself at a high level if he finds the right place. Arsenal loaned him first to Blackburn and now to Swansea, but they plan to bring him back in June. A challenge between Juventus and Milan? It’s in everyone’s notebooks because he is one of the 50 strongest young men in the world.”
Tuttosport, echoing Frattini’s comments, insists that Arsenal will not accept “less than €20 million” for Patino, and Juventus will “try to strike by introducing” Moise Keane into the deal.
Dusan Vlahovic has previously been linked with a move to Arsenal, as the Gunners have been looking for a central striker to take the points burden.
However, TV Play now insists that the Premier League club could “make a move” for the Serbian international in January to avoid losing the Premier League title.
Vlahovic is “a profile that [Mikel] Arteta has described as a reinforcement” to his attacking line, but the biggest obstacle may come in Juventus’ price tag.
Juventus technical director Cristiano Giuntoli values Vlahovic at €60m (£52m), but the report adds that Arsenal insist he “will not exceed” €40m (£35m).
