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Arsenal wait on decision of transfer swap deal for PSG full-back Layvin Kurzawa
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain full-back Layvin Kurzawa but their pursuit of their transfer target could be scuppered with a player swap deal.
Layvin Kurzawa shows off skills in PSG training
Arsenal could miss out on signing Layvin Kurzawa as PSG are close to concluding a player swap deal with Juventus, a report in Italy claims. The Gunners want the full-back in this transfer window as they feel he will help the club through its current injury crisis.
The Gunners were preparing to sign the player on a free in the summer, as the 27-year-old only has six months remaining on his current contract with the Ligue 1 champions.
But Arteta’s plans have now changed and he is now looking at bringing him to the Emirates this month, because his squad is struggling to cope with injuries.
However, the Spaniard now faces the prospect of missing out on Kurzawa, as according to Italian publication CalcioMercato, Juventus and PSG are on the verge of completing a player swap deal.
The proposed transfer would see the versatile Mattia De Sciglio, who can play both the left and the right flanks, join PSG.
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Meanwhile Kurzawa would go in the other direction and swap Paris for Turin.
The report claims the talks between the two clubs gathered momentum on Saturday.
The Parisians take on Lille in Ligue 1 today (8pm) and PSG boss Thomas Tuchel confirmed ahead of the game that Kurzawa would not take part in the match due to the current uncertainty about his future.
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According to Football Italia, Tuchel has given his permission for the swap to go ahead, although no decision has yet been reached between the two clubs.
“I have already given the all-clear to this exchange,” said Tuchel.
“But nothing has yet been decided between the two clubs.
“The situation is still open, so that is why Kurzawa won’t be in the squad against Lille.”
Kurzawa came onto the Gunners' radar after being recommended by former manager Unai Emery.
PSG signed the left-back from Monaco for £20m back in 2015 and since then he has gone on to play 115 games for the club, during which time he has scored 12 goals and provided 20 assists.
But if a deal is completed between PSG and Juve it will be a blow to Arteta’s plans, as he is currently without left-backs Kieran Tierney and Sead Kolasinac.
Tierney joined from Celtic in the summer for £25m and when he arrived at the Emirates he was already dealing with a hip injury.
However, after recovering from that knock he only managed to play 11 games this season before being ruled out for at least three months with a shoulder problem.
The Scotland international has undergone surgery and is expected to return in March.
Kolasinac is dealing with a thigh strain in his left leg after only recently making his comeback from an ankle injury.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina international is not expected to return to full training for at least another week.