Two days ago, Sassuolo director Giovanni Carnevali confirmed Arsenal’s interest in Manuel Locatelli and it was also revealed the north London club have submitted a ‘concrete offer’ for the midfielder.
The details of the proposal tabled by the Gunners weren’t mentioned. Calciomercato.it reported on Thursday that Mikel Arteta’s side have made a €40m offer for the 23-year-old, but there wasn’t a mention of the Serie A side’s response to Arsenal’s bid
The website, however, did state the Italy international’s preference is to join Juventus this summer.
Locatelli’s desire to join the Turin club is again explained by journalist Enzo Bucchioni, in his column for TuttoMercatoWeb. He states the former AC Milan man has given his ‘OK’ to the Old Lady.
Juve are negotiating the €40m fee be paid in instalments, similar to the deal agreed with Fiorentina for Federico Chiesa [two year paid loan deal with mandatory purchase option]. The Turin club also want to include players as part of the deal.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s ‘first real offer formalised in black and white’, worth €40m, has reached Sassuolo’s offices. The proposal is viewed as ‘important’ and has made Sassuolo’s ‘legs ‘tremble’.
If Arteta’s side can convince Locatelli to join them, then they have an advantage over Juve [who want to pay fee in instalments] in concluding the operation for the player this summer.
