Juventus Transfer News: Daniel Rugani's Agent Responds to Exit Rumours

The agent of Juventus defender Daniele Rugani has said his client remains committed to Juventus and the club are eager to keep hold of him amid rumours he could seek more playing time elsewhere, with Arsenal said to be interested.

The Gunners have long been linked with the former Empoli man, and Calciomercato's Kaustubh Pandey mentioned Arsenal as suitors following the agent's latest comments in an interview with Radio VS.

The representative, Davide Torchia, said:

"He is a strong boy. Juventus have never considered any offers for him.

"They know they have a diamond in their side. Rugani, at the age of 23, is in the Italian national side and also contributes to Juventus' victories. Many such players in the past weren't on his level."

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Il Posticipo (h/t Gary Stonehouse of The Sun) previously reported the Gunners were preparing a bid for the 23-year-old, and the agent made it sound as if the Bianconeri turned down offers.

Rugani has long been regarded as a star of the future for Juventus and was signed by the Turin giants in 2013. He spent time on loan with former club Empoli, where he established himself as one of Serie A's most exciting young talents―including going a whole season without getting booked.

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He joined the Juventus senior side in 2015, with many expecting his playing time to increase as time wore on. But while there have been stretches in the team and he has performed admirably when he has played, Rugani continues to spend far too much time on the bench.

Fans are becoming desperate and have blamed manager Massimiliano Allegri―who has a poor reputation for talent development―for his lack of opportunities, per Juventus writer Arjun Pradeep:

Rugani isn't the only Juventus youngster who has barely gotten opportunities: Marko Pjaca barely featured before his long-term injury and loan move to Schalke, Rodrigo Bentancur is a fan-favourite who spends most of his time on the bench and Federico Bernardeschi can barely get a start, despite being one of the club's marquee transfers in the summer.

In the case of Rugani, the lack of playing time has everything to do with the players ahead of him: Andrea Barzagli and Giorgio Chiellini are elite veterans, and following Leonardo Bonucci's departure, Medhi Benatia has emerged as one of the most in-form defenders in Italy.

Rugani always knew he would have to be patient, and he signed a new deal in 2016, believing his time would come:

But things will have to change soon for the defender, who could see his development stall without regular minutes. Another loan move could be an option, although a permanent transfer seems more likely if he does leave Juventus.

More patience could also be a solution, however. Barzagli and Chiellini aren't getting any younger―they're 36 and 33, respectively―and both the latter and Benatia have missed plenty of time with injuries in the past.

There are still opportunities for Rugani in Turin―he'll just have to continue working hard and be patient.