Arsenal’s hopes of signing Arthur Melo on loan from Juventus appear to be dwindling after the Premier League club refused to enter formal negotiations over the terms their Italian counterparts are seeking for the midfielder.
Technical director Edu has been working on a deal which would see Arthur move to the Emirates Stadium before the winter transfer window closes.
Arsenal wanted to borrow him for the rest of the season but Juventus asked for an 18-month deal.
The Serie A side felt it would be next to impossible to find a player of similar quality to fill Arthur’s void for just five months and at such short notice.
If they were to replace him with a permanent signing, it could create a problem if the 25-year-old returns to Turin.
Eventually, Edu and his Juventus counterpart Federico Cherubini reportedly aligned on the idea of the Brazil international moving temporarily until the summer of 2023, with an option to then turn the switch into a permanent deal for around 40 millions of euros.
An 18-month tenure would give Arsenal more time to work with a player manager Mikel Arteta wants to sign and allow them to buy him for less than Juventus’ current valuation if they so choose.
Edu reportedly presented this to his hierarchy, but there was still reluctance to acquire Arthur for a longer period and it was decided not to pursue the proposal.
This means that barring an unexpected late twist, the former Barcelona and Gemio player will remain at the Allianz Stadium, where he is under contract until 2025, beyond Monday’s deadline.
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