Arsenal £13m short for top target, Tottenham ready to steal a march

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Arsenal have reportedly had a £17.6m bid for Juventus winger Juan Cuadrado rejected, falling way short of his £30m asking price.

The Gunners face the risk of losing some key players either this summer or next, with both Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez on expiring contracts that have just 12 months remaining.

In turn, they’re being linked with a move for Cuadrado, although as reported by The Sun, Juve want £30m for the Colombian international while Tottenham are also keen on the former Chelsea ace.

His spell at Stamford Bridge fell way short of expectations, but having returned to Italy with Juventus, he has proven his quality again since but has fallen short of establishing himself as a first-team regular.

It’s claimed that Juve boss Massimiliano Allegri is willing to listen to offers as he eyes transfer targets of his own, and raising £30m for Cuadrado will certainly help him land a top player to replace him in the squad.

Federico Bernardeschi is one name mentioned in the report, while Douglas Costa is another option, and so the move would certainly make sense for the Italian champions. It’s a similar situation for either Arsenal or Tottenham, who could both do with reinforcements this summer to add flair, creativity and quality in the final third.

The 29-year-old scored three goals and provided 10 assists in 45 appearances in all competitions last season, and so his more than useful contributions will be missed in Turin.

Nevertheless, as Juve eye a significant signing to help boost their chances of extending their domestic dominance and going one better in the Champions League, selling Cuadrado to bring in someone like Costa would be a very smart move.

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