Luciano Spalletti has telephoned Juventus’ target, Miralem Pjanic to persuade him to join him at Napoli.

The Bosnian has been linked with a return to Juventus in this transfer window as he struggles to fit in at Barcelona.

He was one of the most important players at Juventus during Massimiliano Allegri’s first stint at the club.

He left last summer for Barca in exchange for Arthur, but he has been left to regret the decision to make the switch.

Juve is interested in bringing him back, but they are struggling to accommodate his 6m euros per season’s wages.

Il Corriere dello Sport says Spalletti has contacted the midfielder and informed him that he wants him at Naples.

They worked together when the midfielder played for AS Roma and Spalletti believes he has what it takes to help his current club.

The report claims that Barca is so keen to offload him that they will collaborate with his next club.

The Spaniards will pay some of his wages if he finds a club that can pay a majority of it.

Juve needs significant subsidisation of his earnings to take him on and it remains unclear if Napoli will offer Barca better terms.