- Brazilian joined Catalans from Gremio in 2018
- Buffon and Chiellini agree deals with Juve
Barcelona’s Arthur and Miralem Pjanic of Juventus are set to swap clubs
Photograph: Getty
The Barcelona midfielder Arthur will join Juventus at the end of the season in a deal worth an initial €72m (£66m), with Miralem Pjanic set to move in the opposite direction for a fee of around €60m plus add-ons.
Arthur joined the reigning La Liga champions from Gremio in 2018 and has made 72 appearances for the club, winning the league title and the Spanish Super Cup in his first season. The 23-year-old will remain at the Nou Camp until the end of this campaign, which was delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
A statement on Barcelona’s official website read: “FC Barcelona and Juventus FC have reached an agreement for the transfer of player Arthur Melo. The Italian club will pay €72m, plus €10m in variables. The player will remain at FC Barcelona until the end of official competition in the 2019-20 season.”
Barcelona are two points adrift of the leaders Real Madrid with six league games remaining and the Brazilian looks set to be available for the club when the Champions League resumes in August.
The 30-year-old Pjanic’s move to Barcelona is expected to be announced shortly.
Arthur’s move to Turin comes on the same day that Gianluigi Buffon and Giorgio Chiellini signed new one-year deals to remain at the Allianz Stadium. The two veterans will remain with the Serie A leaders, who are chasing a ninth consecutive Scudetto this season, until the end of the 2020-21 campaign.
Buffon, 42, joined Juventus from Parma in 2001 and has made more than 500 appearances for the Bianconeri, returning to Turin at the start of this season following a one-year spell at Paris Saint-Germain. The World Cup-winning goalkeeper has played a back-up role to the former Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny but he will continue with the club until at least the end of next season.
Chiellini, the captain who has been at Juventus for 16 years, has also signed a new 12-month extension. The 35-year-old centre-back joined from Livorno in 2004 and has made 509 appearances for the club in all competitions.
