Juventus Director Fabio Paratici Provides Update on Miralem Pjanic-Arthur Swap Deal

Juventus head of football Fabio Paratici has revealed that the reigning Serie A champions ‘talk frequently’ with Barcelona amid recent reports of a proposed exchange deal involving Miralem Pjanic and Arthur Melo heading in opposite directions.

The potential switch was first rumoured by Spanish and Italian sources back in April and there appears to be genuine substance behind those stories based on Paratici’s revelation.

There is, however, no rush in negotiations while both clubs are focused on finishing the 2019/20 season, which will extend well into August with the Champions League mini-tournament.

“We talk to Barcelona frequently but at the moment both teams are playing important matches and we therefore preferred put this period through,” the Juve official is quoted as saying in a report by Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.

“It's a matter of agreement between the parties and on the part of the players. Not set by dates,” he added in response to previous claims budgetary concerns will dictate it must be agreed by 30 June.

It was reported last month that Arthur was not keen on leaving Barcelona, having also been included in discussions between the club and Inter over an exchange deal involving Lautaro Martinez.

But Di Marzio additionally notes that in recent days Arthur has finally become more open to the possibility of joining Juve, although talks remain ongoing, as Paratici has since confirmed.

Juve are said to have offered Arthur a salary of around €5m per season, which is more than twice his current earnings at Camp Nou. At the same time, Di Marzio claims that Pjanic, who joined Juve from Roma in 2016, has already agreed his own terms with Barça.

Aside from convincing Arthur, the clubs would also have to thrash out the finer details of the proposed exchange. Di Marzio suggests Pjanic has a value of €70m, with Arthur at €80m, meaning Juve would also have to put cash into the deal to balance it out.

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