Everton are reportedly ahead of the competition as they look to bring Juventus midfielder Arthur Melo back to Merseyside.
The 27-year-old joined the Bianconeri in 2020 on a swap deal that saw Miralem Pjanic head to Barcelona. It’s safe to say that this operation didn’t pan out well for any party.
In Arthur’s case, he failed to deliver the goods in his first two seasons in Turin, and then endured a catastrophic loan spell at Liverpool plagued by injuries.
Luckily for the Brazilian, he managed to put his career back on track with a positive season in Florence, but Fiorentina opted against splashing the cash to keep him on a permanent basis.
Therefore, the Gremio youth product has returned to Continassa for the pre-season, but a new transfer is looming on the horizon as Juventus are still determined to offload him this summer.
According to Tuttosport journalist Nicolo Schira, Arthur looks increasingly likely to make his return to the Premier League, with several clubs on his trail.
The source believes Everton are leading the race for the Brazil international, as they look to sign the midfielder who failed to prove his worth while representing their arch-rivals Liverpool in the 2022/23 campaign.
Moreover, Schira believes Newcastle United and Wolverhampton are also pondering a move for the Juventus outcast, but the Toffees remain ahead.
The journalist adds that the Bianconeri are seeking a transfer fee of 15 million euros.
Why the hell Motta doesn’t need talented player like Arthur? This is a mystery to me. He’s surely better than any of his midfielders at Bologna.