Juventus are prioritising Hector Bellerin as a summer signing, as the full-back begins to question his career at Arsenal, according to reports.
The Guardian write that the 22-year-old is top of the Italian champions’ list of targets this summer. Now David Hytner reports that Juventus are confident they can push through a £45m deal after they started to lay the groundwork for a summer move in January.
Barcelona also reportedly tried to sign the Spanish international last summer, with Raul Sanllehi running negotiations. They failed to do so, and Sanllehi joined Arsenal instead. The Guardian say this has made the club’s head of player negotiations sympathetic to Bellerin’s situation, having seen it from both sides.
This is certainly not the first time we’ve heard of Juventus’ interest in the full-back.
Last summer they reportedly made a €40m bid late in the window. Arsenal rejected it, as you’d expect when you get a bid for a first-team player without time to replace him.
Then in January, the Italian media published further reports suggesting the club were still keeping tabs on the defender.
Now, with Arsenal’s form on the pitch and Bellerin’s overblown off-field clashes with fans, the Serie A side seem to be preparing to strike again.