Juventus are reportedly preparing a ‘lucrative’ offer to Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey as the Welshman runs down his contract in north London ahead of becoming a free agent in summer.
It has been widely accepted that Ramsey will leave Arsenal at the end of the season after the Gunners recently withdrew their last contract offer following months of failed negotiations.
The 27-year-old has been linked with the likes of Chelsea and Barcelona, while reports just this week have once again spoken of potential interest from AC Milan, the new club of former Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis, and Manchester United and Liverpool.
Juventus are also thought to have been keeping an eye on the situation and the Daily Mail now reports that the reigning Italian champions will present a pre-contract proposal to Ramsey in January when he enters the final stages of his current contract.
Ramsey is eligible to normally negotiate and sign a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs for a summer free transfer when there are six months or less left on his current deal. That would give Juve and a potential advantage over, say, United or Liverpool, who would have to wait until the end of the season to talk or else buy him outright in January if they wanted to be sure.
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A free transfer to Juve over a January move to a Premier League club also stands to benefit Ramsey’s pocket as the Mail notes the lack of a transfer fee could increase Juve’s budget for the deal and push weekly wages to £250,000.
Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri is said to be a ‘huge fan’ of Ramsey. The Bianconeri also have recent history of snatching a Premier League midfielder on a free transfer of signing Emre Can upon the expiration of his Liverpool contract in July.