Arsenal Transfer News: Daniele Rugani, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Fresh Gunners Rumours

Arsenal have little chance of landing reported target Daniele Rugani, with Juventus said to consider the young defender as an indispensable part of their squad.

According to Fabrizio Romano for Calciomercato (translated by Edo Dalmonte), the Gunners have “got their intermediaries involved once again in the last few days” in respect of a pursuit for the impressive centre-back. However, it’s suggested the Bianconeri have high hopes for the 21-year-old after some encouraging performances late in the campaign.

Rugani, as we can see here, is a very gifted defender and a player who many consider to be the brightest prospect in Italy:

As you’d expect from a young defender who has come through the country’s youth system, he plays the game in a traditional Italian way.

Rugani may be young, but he already has the nous of a veteran defender, able to spot danger, react quickly to opposition passes and position himself expertly. It’s rare we see the youngster getting his shorts dirty, although he’s shown glimpses of an appetite for physical battles, not to mention improvement in his aerial prowess, as of late.

As noted by Paolo Bandini of the Guardian, Rugani is such a clinical and clean defender, meaning he rarely gets cautioned:

Arsenal could definitely do with a youthful presence in defence, with Calum Chambers not kicking on and developing as so many anticipated he would. Rugani, as a technical defender and a classy distributor, would not only be an able deputy to the likes of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny, but serious competition.

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There aren’t many better places to learn about defending than Turin, though, and you can bet Rugani will cherish working alongside the likes of Giorgio Chiellini, Leonardo Bonucci and Andrea Barzagli on a day-to-day basis. Given Juve value him so highly, this looks like a non-starter for the Gunners.

Chelsea Linked With Henrikh Mkhitaryan

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According to Bild (h/t Lee Astley of the Sun) Chelsea are in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has also been linked with Arsenal.

John Cross of the Daily Mirror reported last month the Gunners were considering a move for the 27-year-old, who has been sublime for BVB this season. However, according to the initial report, the Blues also want to sign the Dortmund man, with incoming manager Antonio Conte said to be intent on building a squad capable of challenging for the Premier League title.

Whether it’s creating chances for team-mates or sticking the ball in the back of the net himself, Mkhitaryan has been a menace in the final third this term:

In his second season at the club in 2014-15, it didn’t seem as though things were going to work for the former Shakhtar Donetsk man in Germany, as he struggled to cope with the pace of the Bundesliga. However, he’s been one of the best players in the division this term, and with just a year left on his contract, BVB will be desperate to tie him down.

Per Kicker (h/t DW Sports), Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has recently stated he is hopeful of the Armenian staying with the club:

The playmaker has operated off the right flank for long spells of the season, roaming into dangerous positions undetected. It’s a position Arsenal have struggled to find a regular occupant for, and the prospect of Mkhitaryan darting infield to link up with the likes of Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez will be a tantalising one for the Emirates Stadium faithful.