Juventus could reportedly reignite their interest in Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey amid uncertainty over the future of Paul Pogba.
Pogba has been provisionally suspended from football after testing positive for testosterone following Juve's 3-0 win against Udinese last month, a game in which he watched on as an unused substitute.
The 30-year-old, who returned to Turin from Manchester United on a free transfer last summer, was given until Thursday evening to respond, and the player's agent has since confirmed that he has asked for counter analysis to be made on his positive doping test.
"We are waiting for the counter analysis and until then we can't say anything," Pogba's representative Rafaela Pimenta revealed in a statement as quoted by Sky Sports News.
"The certain thing is that Paul Pogba never wanted to break the rules."
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If the positive result is upheld, the anti-doping prosecution process will begin and Pogba could face a ban of up to four years from football.
Sky Sports News reports that Juventus are ready to suspend the France international's wages if he is found guilty of breaking doping rules, and the Serie A club also have the option to terminate his contract if he is ultimately banned from football.
Meanwhile, a separate report from Italian news outlet La Repubblica, via The Sun, claims that Arsenal's Partey is a name on their shortlist of potential Pogba replacements.
Partey was linked with a possible move to Turin during the summer transfer window, but the report adds that Juve may struggle to reach an agreement with Gunners over a deal for the midfielder.
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A report earlier this summer claimed that the 30-year-old would be open to joining Juve as opposed to a big-money switch to Saudi Arabia.
Since moving to the Emirates Stadium from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2020, Partey has made 103 appearances for Arsenal across all competitions and has been a first-team regular under head coach Mikel Arteta.
The Ghana international, who is under contract in North London until June 2025, has shown his versatility in the early stages of this season by operating as a makeshift right-back in each of the Gunners' opening three Premier League games.
However, Partey picked up a groin injury in training before the international break and is not expected to return to first-team action until the middle of October.
Oliver Thomas
