Money may be the biggest motivating factor behind a lot of moves, but it’s pretty common to see players who demand Champions League football when making the step up.
It would make sense for someone like Italy midfielder Manuel Locatelli as he’s shown he belongs at the top level at Euro 2020, so he should also be looking to test himself in the biggest club competition if and when he leaves Sassuolo.
That’s a major problem for Arsenal, and it sounds like any chance they had of signing him is now dead:
It’s an issue that Mikel Arteta’s side are going to run into fairly often in the transfer market as there are other clubs who can offer much bigger wages and they can also offer UCL football straight away.
It means they need to try and sign players like this before their stock rises with great performances on the biggest stage, and their hunt for a new midfielder will go on.