Juventus to offer defender in intricate Ramsey swap deal

Juventus could offer want-away defender Medhi Benatia to Arsenal in a bid to wrap up a January deal for Aaron Ramsey.

Tuttosport claim Juve are ready to offer a swap deal to the Gunners which would involve Benatia heading to The Emirates and Ramsey moving to Serie A before the end of the month.

Calciomercato report that Juventus chief Fabio Paratici held a meeting with Benatia’s agent Moussa Sissoko in Milan on Wednesday. And from the meeting, which is believed to have lasted an hour, it was confirmed that centre-back wants to leave this month.

Benatia, 31, is under contract until 202, but he has made only six appearances this season. However, despite that Juve were believed to be unwilling to allow the player to move on, although today’s meeting may have changed the landscape.

Arsenal and AC Milan have been linked with the player, but Saudi Arabia club Al-Ittihād are the last club to have made contact to sign the experienced defender.

However, Tuttosport claim that Juve could offer a swap deal involving Benatia going to London, with Ramsey, 28, sealing a switch to Turin this month.

Earlier this month Tuttosport claimed Arsenal had demanded £18million from Juventus to sign him this month.

Ramsey is set to end his 10-year association with Arsenal at the end of the season, with the Wales midfielder failing to agree to a new contract at the Emirates Stadium.