Serie A outfit Juventus have told 21-year-old Turkish defender Merih Demiral that he can leave the Allianz Stadium in January. The player has been keen on a move away from Turin, with Maurizio Sarri finding him surplus to his needs in Italy. It has been confirmed that the defensive superstar will be allowed to move on with his career, once the transfer window is open once again.
It has now been confirmed that Manchester United and Arsenal have been joined in the race for the talented centre-back by their domestic rivals Manchester City. Pep Guardiola’s side has been facing some problems at the back, as some of their key players have been injured.
As City look keen to retain their Premier League title, the Cityzens may make a move for him in the New Year. With that being said, the Premier League trio have been given the green light to push for a deal now, with Juve looking to sell.
Based on what the Express Sport understands, the champions of Italy are prepared to do business for a fee around the £35m mark. They want to offload the star who has failed to impress the former Chelsea and Napoli boss.
On the other hand, the clubs from the top flight of English football want to have him amongst their ranks. Both Unai Emery and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer are in need of more defensive signings. They have struggled with problems at the back and won’t let City have the star that easy.
The two managers are keen on leaving their mark at their current clubs, with time running out for them. Emery is already in the danger zone and will want to focus on getting back to winning ways. If he fails to do so, he may either be sacked or could be let go of, at the end of the season.
Due to this, it is key for him to react and make something happen in the winter transfer window. The Spaniard is not a fan-favourite anymore and things are getting rather complicated at the Emirates.
Keeping that in mind, a young player like Demiral may prefer to join the Red Devils or move to the Etihad instead. However, one thing that he will want to remember is that he may not get enough game-time at City, which was initially the problem for him at Juve.
This makes a move to Old Trafford a more likely one, though United will not be able to offer him Champions League football as well. Arsenal may also benefit from the fact that he may have to play second-fiddle at City. This may boost the Gunners’ chances of signing him.
At the end of the day, the player and Juventus both have confirmed that an exit is imminent. Which club he eventually joins, will be the only talking point. The fans know that the player is a decent talent and can add more quality to their squad. However, what happens next remains to be seen, as we slowly approach the January transfer window.
