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Miralem Pjanic on Juventus Exit Rumours: 'Ask the Club About It'
April 29, 2019
Juventus midfielder Miralem Pjanic has said he is unsure whether he will be a Bianconeri player next season.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina international has become a mainstay in the Juventus side since joining the club from Roma in 2016, helping them to three Serie A titles. Rumours about a possible departure have been regular during his time in Turin, though.
In an interview with Tuttosport (h/t Calciomercato), the 29-year-old said the club will have more knowledge of a possible transfer than he does.
"I'm glad to be here, year after year I do my best and I'm growing," he said. "What will happen? You don't have to ask me, ask the club about it."
According to Calciomercato, both Manchester City and Chelsea approached Juventus last summer about possibly signing Pjanic. The midfielder is secure on a long-term contract with the Bianconeri having agreed an extension with Juventus at the start of the current campaign.
While he has endured challenging spells this season, Pjanic is one of the key players at Juventus and someone who brings much-needed creativity to the team from deeper positions.
The Bosnian is capable of operating in front of the back four, where he can ping passes out to the flanks and orchestrate attacks from the base of midfield. He's also effective when in a more advanced role, where he can thread incisive balls into dangerous positions and get within shooting range.
He's also been one of the most effective set-piece takers in European football for a long time:
WhoScored provided the numbers behind Pjanic's season ahead of the 1-1 draw with Inter Milan on Saturday:
In that game, the midfielder produced a brilliant assist for Cristiano Ronaldo's equalising goal, with Radja Nainggolan having given Inter an early lead (U.S. only):
If Juventus cash in on Pjanic this summer, he will need replacing.
While Blaise Matuidi, Emre Can and Rodrigo Bentancur are all dependable players, none possess the technical ability to open up a defence in the way Pjanic can. Even at times when he hasn't been performing well this season, Juventus' work in the middle third can be a little one-dimensional when the Bosnian is taken out of the side.
With that in mind, Juventus would surely want a big offer to come in before they consider any sale. The fact they tied down Pjanic to a new five-year contract last summer indicates the club still have a lot of faith in the player's ability to be a positive influence for seasons to come.