Out-of-favour Barcelona midfielder Miralem Pjanic has reportedly offered himself to Juventus to boost his bid to reignite his career. The Bosnia & Herzegovina international wants to return to Turin, where he played his best football, insists Calciomercato.
Juventus are actively searching for midfield reinforcements. Arthur Melo has flopped in Serie A, while Manuel Locatelli endured a topsy-turvy maiden season at the Allianz Stadium. Adrien Rabiot’s struggle with inconsistent performances does not help either.
Winter signing Denis Zakaria was the only reliable central midfielder for Massimiliano Allegri at the tail-end of last season. Juventus thought Paul Pogba’s return from Manchester United would address their problems with creativity in the centre of the field.
Yet, the Frenchman has picked up a knee injury that could force him to take a lengthy spell on the sidelines. As such, Juventus are back in the market for a new playmaker to hand Allegri a competitive squad ahead of the 2022/23 Serie A season.
Pjanic, who spent a memorable four years at Juventus, could be a potential solution to Allegri’s problems. The 32-year-old has never found his feet at Barcelona following his blockbuster €60m switch in summer 2020.
Deemed surplus to requirements by the Camp Nou outfit, Pjanic spent last season on loan at Besiktas. However, after the Turkish powerhouse refused to offer him a permanent stay, he returned to Barcelona this summer.
Out of Xavi Hernandez’s plans for the upcoming La Liga season, Pjanic is keen to exit Barca in the coming weeks. What better destination to get his stuttering career back on the rails than Juventus?
During his trophy-laden four-year stint in Turin, the former Roma star won four successive Serie A titles and helped Juventus reach the Champions League final in 2016/17. While enjoying a rise to stardom in Italy, Pjanic earned a reputation as a top-notch playmaker.
So it is no major surprise that he wants to rekindle fond memories. But it is up to Juventus to decide whether he is a gamble worth taking following two disappointing years.