Pjanic, Juventus
BARCELONA, SPAIN - OCTOBER 20: Miralem Pjanic of FC Barcelona gives instructions during the UEFA Champions League Group G stage match between FC Barcelona and Ferencvaros Budapest at Camp Nou on October 20, 2020 in Barcelona, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Europe remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Juventus Facing Couple of Obstacles for Reunion with Barcelona Misfit

Juventus recently had a summit with the agent of Miralem Pjanic, but his return to Turin is not particularly close. A pair of issues related to his salary suggest that the deal could materialize only late in the summer, Tuttosport reports.

First of all, Juventus want to keep the payroll in check. Therefore, they could add the Bosnian international only after the departure of Aaron Ramsey. At this stage, they have received no offers for the Welshman. Their other top-paid midfielder, Adrien Rabiot, is highly likely to stay put. In addition, Massimiliano Allegri does not want a particularly large roster.

Moreover, Pjanic saw his salary increase to €7.5M per year with the move to Barcelona. The Bianconeri would bring him back only at a lower yearly sum. The Blaugrana probably would not contribute to making up the difference, as they have already done enough to facilitate his exit. The 31-year-old midfielder is reportedly available on a free. He is pushing to transfer back to the Old Lady, but it is uncertain whether it will indeed happen.

Juventus have not ruled out the possibility of adding a further midfielder with those traits, on top of Manuel Locatelli. However, they would do it only for minimal disbursement. They have shown interest also in Leandro Paredes, who could leave PSG on loan in the final days of the window. Instead, on the Locatelli front, the management is preparing a raise and will offer Sassuolo a strong percentage of a future sale, La Gazzetta dello Sport informs.