WOLVES AND NEWCASTLE TOP TARGETS UP FOR SALE AND LEFT OUT OF PRE-SEASON PLANS
Arthur Melo and Leonardo Bonucci will be excluded from Juventus’ pre-season trip to the USA with Premier League clubs Wolves and Newcastle United keen on the Serie A pair.
Even without that 10-point deduction for ‘false accounting’ – and the subsequent omission from the Champions League – this summer was always likely to be one of many outgoings at the Allianz Stadium.
Dejan Kulusevski has already gone, sold to Tottenham after an 18 month loan spell. Weston McKennie will likely follow in his footsteps. Juventus will not stand in Denis Zakaria’s way either; West Ham United lodging an £11 million bid for the potential Declan Rice replacement.
According to Fabrizio Romano, McKennie and Zakaria have made made available for transfer. They are also ‘excluded’ from Max Allegri’s first-team plans. The same goes for Leonardo Bonucci and Arthur Melo; both of whom will be left at home when Juve jet out to America alongside Lica Pellegrini and Marko Pjaca(Tuttomercatoweb).
A Premier League raid of Juventus
While this may feel like a rather ill-fitting end to Bonucci’s silver-coated Juventus career – few defenders in the modern era are as decorated as him – Arthur’s potential departure will trigger few tears.
The Brazilian was £72 million signing from Barcelona in 2020; Miralem Pjanic moving in the other direction as part of a deal which didn’t work out particularly well for anybody involved.
Injuries have wrecked Arthur’s Juve career. He played only 13 minutes of football on loan at Liverpool in 2022/23 too.
The Daily Mail believe that Wolves are weighing up whether to offer Arthur, once likened to the legendary Xavi by Barca team-mate Lionel Messi, the chance to kick-start his career at Molineux.
Wolves are short on ball-players after the departures of Ruben Neves and Joao Moutinho. And while Arthur is not the most physical of players – a lack of athleticism costing him a place in Max Allegri’s Juve plans – he could be revitalised as the playmaking fulcrum of Julen Lopetegui’s midfield.
Bonucci, meanwhile, has been linked with a shock move to Newcastle United. Calciomercato report that the Magpies are seriously considering handing the 36-year-old a fresh start at St James’ Park.
Bonucci would certainly add depth to an impressive but small crop of centre-halves. His vast experience could be vital, meanwhile; Newcastle preparing to return to the Champions League after a 20-year absence.
