According to Calciomercato, Arsenal’s pursuit of Daniele Rugani has come to a halt. The Gunners have reportedly failed to reach an agreement with Juventus regarding a swap deal involving him and Hector Bellerin. Arsenal’s failure to secure this deal, however, could serve as a blessing in disguise for the north London giants.
Daniele Rugani: A defender in decline
Two or three years ago, Daniele Rugani was advertised as the next big thing in Italian football. He was tipped to replace Giorgio Chiellini, not only for Juventus but also for the Italian national team.
However, things have not exactly panned out the way Rugani would have wanted, over the past couple of years. The centre-back has struggled to find regular game-time at Juventus, who, instead of relying on their young defender, have signed Matthijs de Ligt. They also re-signed Leonardo Bonucci from AC Milan while Merih Demiral is also an option.
As a result, Rugani has mustered just over 2,000 minutes of combined league action during the past couple of seasons. His lack of game-time has coincided with a steady decline as the defender has failed continuously to impress the onlookers even when he has featured in the first-team.
Rugani also hasn’t featured for the Italian national side since 2018. It clearly does not give out a good reflection of the player, especially for one who was set to integrate to the high-paced nature of the Premier League quickly.
Arsenal can’t afford to sell Bellerin
While Rugani is simply not a viable option for Mikel Arteta this summer, the potential departure of Bellerin could have been disastrous for Arsenal, to say the least. One of the most experienced members of the current side, the Spaniard is the only quality option at right-back.
While they do have Cedric Soares, the ex-Southampton star hasn’t really shown much promise in his limited opportunities and certainly cannot be entrusted with the job of becoming Arsenal’s sole right-back.
Ainsley Maitland-Niles is another option. But, the Englishman is facing an uncertain future at the club, especially with Tottenham Hotspur considering a shocking move this summer.
It leaves Bellerin as the only reliable option, and the 25-year-old hasn’t disappointed either, notably playing a key role in wins over Manchester City and Chelsea in the FA Cup this past season. He is also one of the fan favourites at Emirates, who can help the team improve in the upcoming campaign.
Missing out on this deal, therefore, could indeed turn out to be a blessing in disguise for Arsenal as they look to usher in a new era under Arteta.
