Juventus have apparently entered the race to sign Arsenal midfielder Jorginho.
According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Juventus are keen to sign Jorginho in the upcoming January transfer window, with Arsenal deeming the player surplus to requirements and happy to let him leave.
The Gunners only signed Jorginho in January themselves, paying £12 million to prise the 31-year-old away from London rivals Chelsea.
Since then, the £110,000-a-week veteran has fulfilled a useful role in Mikel Arteta’s squad. Whilst he’s never going to be a regular starter at the Emirates Stadium, with the likes of Declan Rice and Thomas Partey ahead of him in the pecking order, Jorginho is still handy to have around.
The Italy international underlined his importance at the Emirates Stadium when handed a start against Manchester City last time out. Jorginho produced a composed and steadying to display to help the Gunners on their way to a 1-0 win.
Not the time to let Jorginho leave
The midfielder would likely do well at Juventus, as the slightly slower pace of Serie A matches would suit him. However, unless Arsenal have a replacement lined up, it is hard to fathom why Arteta would be so willing to part with Jorginho mid-season.
Jorginho is not one for the future. Arteta clearly values youth, and may well already be planning for life after the former Chelsea man has moved on. However, none of that is to say that he isn’t still very much needed at the moment.
Unless Juventus can offer the north London club a means of turning a profit on the player, it is hard to argue that letting Jorginho leave in January makes sense. He is good to have around the squad, who can benefit from his vast experience and leadership skills, and has proven that he still has plenty to offer on the pitch, too.
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