Arthur Agrees Deal With Juventus - Barcelona to Receive €10m Plus Miralem Pjanic
By Ali Rampling
Brazilian midfielder Arthur has agreed terms with Juventus - giving the green light for Miralem Pjanic to move to Barcelona in one of the most bizarre exchange deals in recent history.
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Arthur had initially been reluctant to move from Barcelona to Turin after initial approaches were made by the Serie A champions, with Juventus attempting to persuade him to sign after agreeing a fee with the Catalan giants.
Despite his initial hesitancy, Juventus reached an agreement in principle with the player and attempted to sway him by offering him a lucrative contract - worth nearly double what he is currently earning at Barcelona - promising him an important role in the team in the process.
The move will see Miralem Pjanic and €10m plus add-ons go in the opposite direction.
Confirmed on Thursday afternoon by Goal journalist Romeo Agresti, Fabrizio Romano and Gianluca Di Marzio, it's now reported that mere final details need to be ironed out before the exchange is made official.
Arthur has accepted Juventus bid! He’s going to join Juventus on a swap deal - Miralem Pjanic (+ €10M) to Barcelona as part of the agreement. Last details to be resolved and then here we go! ? #Juventus #Barcelona #FCB #transfers
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 25, 2020
Juventus are widely regarded as receiving the better deal in acquiring 23-year-old Arthur in exchange for 30-year-old Pjanic, with Barcelona's financial mismanagement and poor planning at the very heart of the deal.
Spanish journalist Gerrard Romero has reported that Arthur's compatriot Dani Alves also had a crucial part to play in persuading him to join the Italian champions.
Alves 'spoke very highly of the Italian club' to Arthur, and the 23-year-old now has his representatives scouting out houses in Turin for him.
The move from Barcelona to Juventus is one that Alves knows well, having traded Camp Nou for the Allianz Stadium back in 2016. The 37-year-old spent a year with the Serie A outfit, winning the league and Coppa Italia, and helping guide them to their first Champions League final in 13 years.
However, his contract was terminated by mutual consent at the end of the 2016/17 season, and he moved to PSG that summer.
Alves and Arthur have been teammates on the Brazil national team since the latter made his debut in September 2018.
The pair were both part of the Brazil squad who won the 2019 Copa America - with Alves being named player of the tournament.