An Arsenal transfer for Arthur Melo is growing increasingly unlikely due to the board’s refusal to sign off on an 18-month loan.

The Athletic report that Arsenal have declined to enter formal negotiations with Juventus for Arthur Melo, as the club hierarchy don’t approve of the agreement technical director Edu Gaspar came to with the Serie A side.

Arsenal’s initial plan was to sign Arthur on loan for six months, but Juventus would only let him go for 18.

Edu and Federico Cherubini eventually agreed on an 18-month loan with a €40m option to buy, but Arsenal decided against it.

According to Romeo Agresti of Goal Italia, Juventus have no plans to change their position. They’re only open to an 18-month loan.

Mikel Arteta is keen on the player, but as things stand, he’s set to remain with Juventus for the rest of the season.

It’s a shame, as Arsenal were reportedly confident at one stage of securing an agreement to sign Arthur on the six-month loan they wanted. But Juventus pushed more and more for a greater commitment, and that’s eventually led to the deal falling apart.

Arteta and Edu are long-term admirers of Arthur, and the player himself is interested in the move. He believes the Premier League would give him a platform to fight his way into the Brazil squad ahead of the World Cup.

The Gunners have now been forced to focus on other targets.

Ruben Neves (Wolves), Tyler Adams (RB Leipzig), Bruno Guimaraes (Lyon), and Douglas Luiz (Aston Villa) are all reportedly on Arsenal’s shortlist. The problem is that none of them appear easy to acquire in January.

Whether Arsenal can bring one of the above deals forward or find another short-term option in the final few days remains to be seen.