Arsenal hijack Premier League club's move for World Cup star with €30m bid

Arsenal have placed a €30 million bid to sign Juventus midfielder Weston McKennie in January, according to reports in Italy.

The USA international impressed for his country at the World Cup, starting all four of their games.

He has been a regular feature in the Juventus team this season, but has been linked with a move away from the club in January.

Juventus were handed a 15-point deduction in Serie A after being found guilty of capital gains violations - a verdict the club have already submitted an appeal for, having denied any wrongdoing - and, as a result, face a difficult task to qualify for next season's Champions League.

Reports surrounding McKennie's future emerged prior to the verdict, but there is still uncertainty at Juve, and they may need to sell players in order to bring players in.

Sky Italy claimed that Leeds submitted a bid for the 24-year-old earlier this week worth €28 million, but Juve want €35 million to sanction a sale.

Now, it appears that Arsenal are set to hijack a move, with Mikel Arteta keen to add another midfielder to his squad.

Arsenal 'launch bid' for McKennie

According to Italian outlet La Repubblica, the Gunners have submitted a bid of €30 million to sign McKennie, which remains below Juve's valuation.

They say that the American only wants to leave the Old Lady 'in the event of an offer from an ambitious club, with an interesting project'.

He is said to have verbally agreed to join Leeds, with negotiations between the two clubs the only stumbling block involved in the deal.

However, it is claimed that Arsenal's offer would also match McKennie's desire to play in the Premier League, with his departure from Juventus now looking imminent. His agent is in London for talks over a move.

An exit would allow the Italian giants to bring in a right winger, with the position considered one of the club's priorities for the January window.