Arsenal's plans for the January transfer window have encountered a significant hurdle, with the Gunners now facing intense competition from European heavyweights for a key defensive target.
Triple Threat for Italian Prodigy
Mikel Arteta is keen to bolster his squad as Arsenal fight for the Premier League title, currently sitting top of the table above Manchester City and Aston Villa. The club has been strongly linked with a move for AC Milan's highly-rated 19-year-old full-back, Davide Bartesaghi.
However, according to fresh reports from CaughtOffside, the North London side are not alone in their admiration. Both Manchester City and Real Madrid are also credited with a serious interest in the Italian youth international, setting up a potential three-way tussle for his signature.
The teenager's valuation is reported to be in the region of £39 million, a substantial sum for a player of his age. His long-term contract at the San Siro, which runs until June 2030, places AC Milan in a powerful negotiating position, with no pressing need to sell.
Bartesaghi's Profile and Arsenal's Defensive Needs
Bartesaghi is a product of AC Milan's famed academy, having joined the club back in 2012 after a spell at Atalanta. He progressed through every youth level before making his senior debut in 2023.
Since that breakthrough, he has made 28 appearances in all competitions, with 13 of those coming in the current campaign. His emergence offers a compelling profile for Arsenal, who may view him as an ideal candidate to add competition and depth to their defensive options, especially amid recent injury concerns in the squad.
Arteta's Focus Amidst Transfer Speculation
While speculation builds off the pitch, Mikel Arteta's immediate focus remains on maintaining Arsenal's momentum on it. The team secured a 2-1 home win against Brighton & Hove Albion in their last outing, but the manager believes the margin of victory should have been greater.
Speaking after the match, Arteta highlighted his squad's resilience: "What I like is that we're having a lot of issues, we're dealing with it in an incredible way. Yesterday we lost Jurrien (Timber), today we lose (Riccardo) Calafiori in the warm-up, Declan (Rice) has to play as a full-back and you see the performance that he put in. So, that's the spirit."
That spirit will be tested again immediately, as Arsenal host an in-form Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday. Unai Emery's side have won their last 12 matches across all competitions, presenting a major challenge to the league leaders.
The January window represents a crucial period for Arteta to shape his squad for the title run-in, but the pursuit of Davide Bartesaghi has just become a much more complicated and expensive proposition.
