“?Arsenal are reported to have tabled a bid in the region of £14m for Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina, as manager Arsene Wenger looks to bolster his options ahead of the Premier League season.
“?Reported on the Daily Cannon, the North London side are keen to add the 22-year-old to their ranks due to his versatility, which could prove vital amid the Gunners injury problems.
A defensive midfielder by nature, the Juventus youngster is also more than capable of operating across the back line, as well as further forward in the midfield.
Ahead of the club’s Premier League opener with Liverpool on Sunday, Wenger is without last season’s centre back pairing of Laurent Koscielny and Per Mertesacker along with Gabriel. Meanwhile Carl Jenkinson is also set for a period on the sidelines, with Mathieu Debuchy looking more and more likely to leave the club.
The youngster is under contract with the Italian champions until 2020, and having already lost fellow midfielder Paul Pogba to Arsenal’s rivals Manchester United this summer, they will not want another highly-rated prospect to depart Turin before the transfer window closes on August 31st.
However after making just 10 first team outings last season, Lemina could be lured by the possibility of an increased amount of playing time.
The club are believed to value their asset at around £17m, slightly more than the Premier League side’s original offer.
Meanwhile German side Schalke are also rumoured to be monitoring the former Marseille man’s situation.
Should Arsenal complete the signing of Lemina, he would be the third defensive midfielder to arrive at the club this year following in the footsteps of Mohammed Elneny and Granit Xhaka.
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