Why Juventus over Arsenal would be the better destination for Aleksandr Golovin

Aleksandr Golovin, the Russian ace, is subject to a fair amount of attention this summer. The CSKA Moscow star is a man in demand, owing to his impressive displays at the World Cup.

Juventus, who are one of the clubs interested in signing Golovin, tabled a €20m bid (plus bonuses) for the youngster. But CSKA Moscow were quick to reject it as they value Golovin at around €25m-€30m. Premier League giants Arsenal are reportedly also keen to sign Golovin this summer.

Golovin has already established himself as one of the breakout stars of the World Cup, following his dazzling performances in Russia’s wins over Saudi Arabia and Egypt.

His ability to produce solid displays on a consistent basis highlights the gift CSKA currently possesses in their ranks. But the Russian outfit are in a big danger of losing one of their most prized assets as a host of European clubs are sniffing around Golovin, including Juventus and Arsenal.

Despite being just 22 years old, the midfielder has already played more than 100 games for CSKA Moscow and has 21 caps for Russia to his name. He was instrumental in his side’s run to the quarter-finals of the Europa League last season, with the starlet scoring crucial goals against Lyon and Arsenal.

A creative midfielder by trade, Golovin possesses excellent vision, technique and quick-thinking. His intelligence in possession and willingness to work selflessly without the ball has helped CSKA over the years.

Juventus’ midfield has been thin ever since the departures of Arturo Vidal, Andrea Pirlo and Paul Pogba. That being said, strengthening the midfield should be prioritised by manager Max Allegri this summer.

Emre Can’s arrival from Liverpool will certainly add a lot of bite and feistiness to Juventus’ midfield and allow Miralem Pjanic more freedom to surge forward and express himself in the final third. However, with Sami Khedira and Claudio Marchisio showing signs of slowing down, Juventus need an energetic and a creative box-to-box midfielder.

In that case, Golovin would be a perfect fit for the Turin giants. His actions on the pitch will give an entirely different dimension to Juventus’ midfield. The 22-year-old is one of Russia’s technically-gifted players and he is also capable of scoring long-range thunderbolts.

Golovin has chalked up 13 goals and 11 assists in 113 games for CSKA—not a bad return for a youngster, who still has time to take his game to the next level.

After his fantastic displays with his national team, Golovin is clearly ready to shine on a grander stage at club level. His close control, technique and passing abilities would highly benefit Juventus over a long period of time. But the Serie A champions have to act swiftly and pay CSKA Moscow’s demand of €25m-€30m to beat the other clubs for the Russian star’s signature.

And for Golovin, a move to Juventus would be the right step in his career.