Arsenal youngster Stephy Mavididi is closing in on a remarkable move to Italian champions Juventus.
Standard Sport understands that the 20-year-old striker travelled to Turin on Thursday to undergo his medical with the Serie A giants as part of a deal expected to cost Juventus around £500,000.
However Mavididi, who has previously spent time on loan with Preston North End and Charlton, will not immediately be vying with Cristiano Ronaldo and Paulo Dybala for minutes in Massimiliano Allegri’s first-team.
Instead his acquisition is understood to be part of a recruitment drive for the Juventus’ Under-23 team, who are becoming the first B team to compete in Serie C for 88 years after being offered a place by the Italian federation.
Juventus are keen to acquire the best young prospects available to them as they prepare their youngsters for what could be a gruelling season against seasoned professionals, and Mavididi will be given ample opportunity to impress as well as a wage packet in excess of what he was earning at Arsenal.
The England U20 international shone in an initial loan spell at Charlton in the second half of the 2016-17 season but a major hamstring injury slowed his progress significantly.
The 20-year-old’s move bears striking similarity with that of young midfielder Marcus McGuane, who became the first Englishman to play for Barcelona since Gary Lineker after being snared by the Spanish giants’ B team in January.
Mavididi’s departure is the latest in what has become an exodus of English talent to the continent. Arsenal products Chris Willock and Kaylen Hinds are at Benfica and Wolfsburg whilst Jadon Sancho is starring for Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
Reiss Nelson is another Arsenal youngster who has drawn admiring glances from Europe’s top sides, with Real Madrid having monitored his progress and Monaco taking a particularly close interest. His contract expires at the end of the season though he has indicated he intends to sign an extension.
