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Barcelona and Juventus are all set to confirm the swap deal for Arthur and Miralem Pjanic, sources suggest.
Respected journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Barcelona midfielder Arthur has accepted Juventus's offer in a deal which will see the Italians pay Barcelona €10 million as well send Pjanic across to Catalunya.
Barcelona fans unhappy with the deal
It is being reported that Juventus manager Maurizio Sarri sees Arthur as an ideal player to build his team around, akin to how his Napoli and Chelsea sides were built around midfielder Jorginho.
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Barcelona fans are unhappy with the deal. At 23, Arthur is regarded as one of the best young players at the club. Swapping him for a 30-year old Pjanic makes little sense, according to many fans.
The Brazilian Arthur joined Barcelona from Gremio in 2018 for a fee €31 million. A midfield metronome, his playing style has often been compared to that of Barcelona legend Xavi. Since 2018, Arthur has made 71 appearances for the club, having been used mainly as a squad player. He has scored four goals and provided six assists during that time. This season for Barcelona under Ernesto Valverde and then Quique Setien, Arthur has made 26 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals and providing four assists.
Also Read: Barcelona stars considering EPL switch as Manchester City make irresistible offer
Reports have suggested that the Brazilian international initially declined the move to Juventus. However, as the days passed, Arthur finally acquiesced to the Italian club's overtures.
Miralem Pjanic, on the other hand, is by no means a bad player. The Bosnian midfielder joined Juventus from Roma in 2016 for a fee of €32 million. The 30-year old has gone on to become an integral part of the Juventus midfield, making 170 appearances in all competitions for the club. He has managed to score 22 goals and provide 36 assists. This season for Sarri's side, Pjanic has made 35 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring three times and providing two assists. However, there are clear signs that Pjanic is declining.
It is being rumoured that Barcelona are letting go of some their players to fund a move for Inter Milan's Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez. Apart from Arthur, midfielder Philippe Coutinho, on loan at Bayern Munich and injury-prone forward Ousmane Dembele could leave the club as well.
Barcelona have also been linked with a move for Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Tanguy Ndombele. The Frenchman is said to be dissatisfied with life under manager Jose Mourinho, and Barcelona could potentially offer him a way out, with the club having been linked with from his time at Lyon. A two-year loan deal has been mooted, with an option to buy.
While getting Pjanic for Arthur isn't a bad deal, much has to do with age. Arthur is seven years younger than the Bosnian, with room to develop under the right manager. Signing Pjanic might solve Barcelona's problem short-term, but in the long-term they will have to shell out extravagant amounts of money for another midfielder once Pjanic slows down. Unless Barcelona can use some of their academy graduates like Riqui Puig and Carles Alena, this deal makes little sense in it's current shape.
Also Read: Barcelona hold surprise transfer talks with wantaway EPL midfielder
