"Saliba case", six years later – “next Maldini” on Arsenal’s radar

Arsenal are confident that their current squad is strong enough to challenge for the Premier League title, which means the January transfer window is being viewed as an opportunity to plan for the future rather than fix immediate problems. Mikel Arteta’s team has been linked with a number of promising young talents who could evolve into key first-team players over time.

After a productive summer of recruitment, the Gunners have strengthened their squad depth, and the returns of Gabriel Magalhaes and Kai Havertz from injury are set to enhance their chances of staying at the top of the table. Arteta now enjoys the luxury of having quality options in nearly every position.

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That said, Arsenal are not content to simply admire their current squad. One name reportedly on their radar is AC Milan’s 19-year-old left-back Davide Bartesaghi. Since breaking into Milan’s first team, Bartesaghi has made 28 appearances and has already drawn comparisons to club legend Paolo Maldini.

According to Sky Sports, Arsenal have been monitoring the attacking full-back ahead of a potential transfer. With Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly currently competing for the left-back spot, Bartesaghi could follow a path similar to that of William Saliba.

Back in 2019, Arsenal signed Saliba less than a year after he debuted for Saint-Etienne. He was immediately loaned back to the French club for a season, enjoyed further loan spells at Nice and Marseille, and only three years later made his Arsenal debut, ultimately becoming a key figure in Arteta’s team.

If Bartesaghi moves to Arsenal, he could embark on a comparable journey, gradually developing before stepping into a major role with the first team.