Arsenal told asking price to sign Juventus star amid Serie A points deduction

Arsenal are reportedly plotting a move to sign Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie this month - just days after the Serie A giants were handed a 15-point deduction.

The Italian FIGC Court of Appeal gave Juve the deduction on Friday, after the club was found guilty of capital gain violations.

They were accused of fixing their balance sheets by artificial gains from club transfers, and the verdict arrived following an investigation into the club's finances, which allegedly revealed the violations.

Juve deny any wrongdoing, and have appealed the decision made to the Sport Guarantee Board of the Italian Olympic Committee - the country's highest court - as confirmed in a club statement.

Following the points deduction, the Old Lady dropped to 11th place in Serie A, 12 points off the Champions League qualification spots. After the weekend's fixtures, they are now 14 points behind fourth-placed Roma, having drawn 3-3 with Atalanta at the Juventus Stadium on Sunday.

The result makes an uphill task even harder in terms of qualification for Europe's top club competition, and speculation has arisen over the future of their top stars.

One of those players is USA star McKennie - and Arsenal are reportedly one of several clubs keen.

Arsenal keen on McKennie

According to Italian outlet Gazzetta dello Sport, the Gunners are keen on bringing the 24-year-old to the Emirates Stadium in January to add depth to their midfield.

It is claimed that the Premier League leaders have contacted McKennie's agents, and that Juve have set an asking price of €20-25 million plus bonuses.

Such a fee could be considered affordable by Mikel Arteta's side, with Shakhtar Donetsk's CEO Serhii Palvin claiming to The Athletic that they matched Chelsea's successful bid of £88 million, including bonuses, to sign Mykhailo Mudryk.

They have already spent £21 million plus add-ons to sign Leandro Trossard from Brighton, and are close to a £17.5 million deal to sign Jakub Kiwior from Spezia.

Arsenal are also said to be interested in signing Valladolid starlet Ivan Fresneda, but Gazzetta claims that Juve could use any income from McKennie to enter the race for the Spanish full-back.