Summer Arsenal target Daniele Rugani has had miserable start to 2019/20

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Arsenal ended up signing David Luiz this summer, but may well have ended up signing Juventus star Daniele Rugani instead of the Brazilian.

As the transfer window for Premier League teams neared its closure, the Gunners were linked with several defensive names including the Italian.

It has since transpired (Tuttosport) that Arsenal did not end up signing Rugani because club chiefs did not want to commit to an obligation to buy, understood to be around £28 million.

Instead, Arsenal facilitated a permanent deal for Luiz for around £8 million, and the South American helped himself to his first goal for his new club last weekend.

Since that interest from Arsenal, Rugani has endured a miserable start to 2019/20 with Juve.

The Turin giants have had nine games in all competitions so far – and Rugani hasn’t played a single minute under new manager Maurizio Sarri.

TBR’s view

Rugani’s first-team chances were always likely to deplete following the club’s successful poaching of Dutch starlet Matthijs de Ligt.

The talented 25-year-old will surely be ruing Raul Sanllehi’s decision to walk away from a deal as he sits on the bench every weekend.

Frustratingly as well for the player, Arsenal’s defence has continued to struggle this season and he might well have made them tighter at the back than Luiz has done so far.