While Arsenal eventually landed on Jorginho as a January midfield signing, the Gunners reportedly ‘seriously tried’ to sign former academy player Ismael Bennacer.
Arsenal’s January window was spent trying to acquire a new midfield signing. The majority of the window saw Mikel Arteta’s side attempt to convince Brighton to sell Moises Caicedo.
They offered for the Seagulls midfielder twice and when it was clear those attempts were in vain, they switched to other targets.
Eventually, they landed on Chelsea midfielder Jorginho. The signing was a swift one, as things seemed to all be wrapped up in one day – transfer deadline day.
Things might not have panned out quite as they did, though. Indeed, Jorginho was not the only man that the Gunners had their sights on at the back end of the window.
Calciomercato reports they were also keen on AC Milan midfielder Bennacer. The Italian outlet suggests the north London outfit ‘seriously tried’ to bring him ‘back home’.
Indeed, the Algerian played in Arsenal’s academy between 2015 and 2017, making 32 appearances before he was sold to Empoli, which is where Milan picked him up from.
It’s little surprise, after the Gunners’ interest in January, that they’re still keen on signing Bennacer. A report in March stated Arteta’s side were keen on him yet again, along with Liverpool.
What’s more, it stated they have a formula in mind for the transfer, which would include Folarin Balogun heading to Milan. For Arsenal, it seems that move makes a lot of sense.
While Balogun is in top form – he’s scored 19 goals on loan at Reims this season – he’s likely to be behind Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah in the pecking order when he returns to The Emirates.
And while Balogun reportedly ‘wants to continue operating as a first-choice striker’ he is ‘opposed to a third temporary switch.’ He’s also willing to run down the last two yeas of his contract to either get what he wants, or get out.
As such, was the swap deal to go ahead, the Gunners would be getting that problem off their hands while getting a top asset in return. However, things are not likely to be quite that simple.
Indeed, Calciomercato states Bennacer is one name that won’t be on Milan’s transfer list; he’s apparently ‘said no to various proposals in the Premier League and La Liga’ because he is ‘convinced’ about remaining with Milan.
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