Transfer Centre

Arsenal interested in Juventus defender Daniele Rugani?

By Sean Wilson | 31 July 2019

Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Juventus defender Daniele Rugani on loan this summer despite seeing an initial bid rejected by the Italian champions.

Arsenal are reportedly interested in bolstering their central defensive options with the addition of Juventus' Daniele Rugani on loan.

Laurent Koscielny looks likely to return to his native France after refusing to travel on the Gunners' pre-season tour of the US and manager Unai Emery is keen to move Shkodran Mustafi on after an error-strewn season.

If those two depart, alongside youngster Krystian Bielik's reported move to Championship side Derby County, Arsenal would be left with just Sokratis Papastathopoulos, Calum Chambers and a Rob Holding still working his way back to full fitness as the senior centre-backs in the squad.

Juventus are looking to trim some of the fringe players from their ranks after a busy summer in which several new faces have arrived in Turin, notably Matthijs de Ligt from Ajax and Aaron Ramsey on a free transfer from Arsenal.

However, according to Gazzetta dello Sport the Gunners' offer of a two-year loan deal for Rugani has been rejected due to Giorgio Chiellini sustaining a calf injury that could keep him out of the early portion of the season.

Arsenal have already signed Gabriel Martinelli and William Saliba this summer and are set to announce the capture of Nicolas Pepe imminently, with a deal for Kieran Tierney also in the pipeline.