Arsenal Transfer News: Latest on Daniele Rugani, Michy Batshuayi Rumours

Juventus defender Daniele Rugani has committed his future to Juventus, dealing a blow to Arsenal's bid to land the talented youngster during the January transfer window.

The former Empoli man made his long-awaited first start for the club during the 4-0 win over rivals Torino in the Coppa Italia on Wednesday, and after the match, he told JTV (h/t Football Italia) he's “focused on Juventus:”

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My dream for the season is to carve out as much space for myself as possible.

To slowly become a player who the Coach can rely on and trust when I’m needed. Rather than a dream, that’s my goal.

Euro 2016? That’s something we could call a dream for this season. It’s obviously difficult, I know that, because you have to play, but I’m focused on Juventus.

I’m young, I have time and years ahead of me, so I hope to do well here and then the national team will arrive as a consequence of that.

"

He also touched on the influence the veteran defenders have had on him so far in the same interview (h/t Football Italia):

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I feel very fortunate to be surrounded by top pros on a daily basis and to be able to watch and learn from everything they do.

They give me tips of both a technical and tactical nature, while they’ve also helped me on a psychological level to enter the field in the best mental state possible.

"

Rugani has barely featured for the Italian champions during the 2015-16 campaign, prompting plenty of speculation he could leave the club in January. Per Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport (h/t Metro's Will Giles), he ranks highly on Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger's priority list.

The 21-year-old was one of Serie A's top defenders during the 2014-15 campaign while on loan at Empoli and is widely considered one of the best defensive prospects in all of football. Last season, he played every second of Serie A action, and he managed to go through the entire campaign without getting booked, per WhoScored.com.

He was so good he was named one of the league's two top defenders for this year, despite barely playing after the summer, per Sport Witness:

Rugani was never likely to play much early in his Juventus career considering the presence of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli, three of Italy's best defenders. Rumours he may be upset over a lack of playing time are overblown, as the youngster likely knew all too well he would be brought along slowly when he joined.

Manager Massimiliano Allegri has been very careful integrating youngsters into his starting XI since taking the job, and he previously used a cautious approach with Alvaro Morata and Paulo Dybala, who have both blossomed as a result.

Rugani looked fantastic on Wednesday and was even seen barking instructions at his veteran team-mates, and judging by his display, more minutes will be in store for him in the future.

Michy Batshuayi Remains on Arsene Wenger's Radar

BERTRAND LANGLOIS/Getty Images

According to Transfer Market Web (h/t Metro's Jamie Sanders), Olympique Marseille forward Michy Batshuayi will be Arsenal's top January transfer target after a stunning start to the 2015-16 campaign.

The young Belgian has already scored 11 goals and added five assists in 17 Ligue 1 starts for a struggling Marseille side, via WhoScored.com, and per Belgian football expert John Chapman, club president Vincent Labrune has already told French publication Liberation he's likely to leave in the future:

Marseille are expected to block a January move as they attempt to salvage their season, but for the right fee, the Ligue 1 club will likely be tempted to cash in on the 22-year-old. Batshuayi is desperately battling for a spot in Belgium's Euro 2016 squad, so he could be open to a bigger club that can provide more exposure as well.

Batshuayi has been touted as one of Belgium's top talents for years, but this season, he seems to have finally put it all together. A strong, athletic poacher with remarkable vision, he's a threat in space and in the air, but he does most of his work inside the box.

Here's a look at what he brings to the table:

The Gunners' need for a new striker has somewhat lessened thanks to Olivier Giroud's excellent form, but depth remains an issue. Theo Walcott is a fine player, but he remains a massive injury risk and simply can't be counted on to stay healthy.

Batshuayi wouldn't just add depth. His long-term potential is off the charts, and there's every reason to believe he could beat out Giroud for the starting position in the near future—perhaps as early as next season.

A January transfer will be complicated, but Batshuayi is a player Gunners manager Arsene Wenger should keep an eye on, nonetheless. Young, powerful Belgian strikers have been a big hit in the Premier League the past few seasons, and Batshuayi may just be the most talented of the lot.

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