Thursday, 6th February, 2014
Miralem Pjanic would make his footballing birthplace very happy if he transferred to any of five big clubs in the summer, with Arsenal and Manchester United confirmed amongst those to be extremely keen on the midfielder.
FC Metz academy product Pjanic, who currently turns out for Italian Serie A outfit Roma, was recently labelled untouchable for the winter by none other than Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi, chief of another of his suitors.
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However, the Roma player has been a transfer-speculation magnet ever since Arsenal began showing an interest back in 2011 when he was at Lyon. Indeed, the Gunners had been poised to seal the deal but for Pjanic's father to honour his word to Roma.
For now, the director of the Metz Academy, Denis Schaeffer, who watched Pjanic grow into the star player he is, believes a summer exit is very much possible. And the talent chief has revealed he has been told that the elite are queueing up for the Bosnian.
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"I think in June he will go", Schaeffer exclusively told Inside Futbol.
"A month ago, we met his agent and he told us, five clubs were interested – Arsenal, Manchester [United, ed.], PSG, Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
"So the choices are very good!"
But if it were left to Schaeffer, the 23-year-old would return to French football.
"I would like him to play for Paris Saint-Germain."
Schaeffer also revealed Metz have a secondary motive to see Pjanic again make a big step-up, having spent time at his former academy since the age of 13.
The question remains as to how much Roma can get for him, as Schaeffer added: "We have a lot of contact with him nowadays. Now he is one of the most important players at Roma.
"Roma could win the title this year. So, they don't want to leave him.
"We are waiting for him to be transferred because we are interested in it.
"We want him to be transferred for a big amount!"
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