Paris Saint-Germain’s shopping spree in Serie A could continue in the summer as they’ve added Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo to their shortlist. According to Calciomercato, the Ligue 1 heavyweights are looking to tempt the Bianconeri with a loan-swap deal that would see Mitchel Bakker going in the opposite direction.
PSG have already signed a long-term contract with Gianluigi Donnarumma, who refused to commit his future to Milan. They are now on the cusp of wrapping up a deal for Inter’s Achraf Hakimi to bolster the right flank. However, Les Parisiens seem unwilling to stop there as they hope to land another Serie A star this summer.
Mauricio Pochettino wants to reinforce his midfield department in the summer, and he has identified Arthur as a potential candidate to link up with Marco Verratti and Ander Herrera. The Brazilian playmaker has struggled to settle in Turin since moving from Barcelona last summer and could be on the move in the coming months.
Arthur joined Juventus as a long-term replacement for Miralem Pjanic, who left the Allianz Stadium for Barca during the last transfer window. However, the 25-year-old has found it difficult to adapt to the new environment, registering just 13 Serie A starts in 2020/21.
Since the Turinese giants consider putting Arthur on the market, a transfer to the Parc des Princes seems like a plausible solution. Meanwhile, PSG are aware of Juventus’ interest in the prodigious left-back Mitchel Bakker and are ready to use him as part of a package to land the ex-Gremio man.
Massimiliano Allegri is hopeful of signing a new left-back, as Alex Sandro’s future in Italy hangs in the balance. Bakker had an impressive breakthrough season in Ligue 1, taking full advantage of Juan Bernat’s long-term injury to stake his claim for a regular starting berth in Paris.
The 21-year-old Dutchman amassed 26 top-flight appearances for PSG in 2020/21, adding another ten in the Champions League. Though Juventus would embrace the prospect of acquiring Bakker, it’s yet to be seen whether they want to give up Arthur temporarily or outright.