Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing on loan Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli this summer, and Mikel Arteta is preparing to offer Kieran Tierney as part of the deal.

What’s the latest on Manuel Locatelli to Arsenal?

According to Calciomercato, Arsenal are keen on bringing the Italian midfielder – who is on loan at Juventus from fellow Serie A side Sassuolo – to the Emirates in the summer.

The report states that Tierney’s long-term future at the Gunners is uncertain and Arteta is willing to offer him as part of any potential move.

Tierney has been recently linked with a move to Newcastle United, although the preference would perhaps be to move him on to a club out with England.

Could Tierney leave Arsenal this summer?

The Scot arrived at the north London side in the summer of 2019 for a fee of £25m and despite enjoying moderate success in his first couple of years – winning the FA Cup in 2020 – he has found himself playing second fiddle to Oleksandr Zinchenko at left-back this term.

The £110k-per-week defender – who was previously dubbed a “great leader” by commentator Scott McDonald – has seen his stock drop recently. Indeed, in the Premier League this term, he has managed just four starts, featuring 17 times in total and averaging a Sofascore rating of 6.67/10.

He has averaged just 22.6 touches during his time on the pitch while completing just 77% of his attempted passes and it appears Arteta has Zinchenko as his long-term option on the left side of the defence.

Although Jorginho was signed during the January transfer window, it’s no secret Arteta is after more midfielders to bolster his squad depth, and swapping Tierney for Locatelli makes perfect sense.

The 25-year-old has impressed in Serie A this season, averaging 57.5 touches per game while making 0.6 key passes per match, yet it’s his defensive ability that could be of a big advantage to the Spaniard.

The £95k-per-week Italian has made 1.9 tackles, 1.5 clearances, and one interception per game while winning 55% of his total duels. Thus, it’s no wonder Jacek Kulig described him as a “real dominator in midfield” and these qualities could give Arsenal that extra bite they need in the centre of the pitch.

Considering their recent performances, swapping Tierney for the 6 foot 1 midfielder makes a great deal of sense and would only boost Arteta’s squad further during the summer. With Champions League football to offer, it shouldn’t be difficult to tempt the player to Arsenal.