If you paid attention to Arsenal stories towards the end of last week, you’ll be aware that Arsenal have started taking a new interest in one of their old pupils.
That man is Ismaël Bennacer, who is currently at Milan, where he is an essential piece of what Stefano Pioli has put together at Milan.
The midfielder left Arsenal a few years ago to try his luck in Italy at Empoli, where he spent two years before the Serie A side came knocking with €17.2m.
Arsenal only received €1m from his exit, and it appears it is one they regret, as they have seen how he has developed and want him back.
That’s what the press in Italy are starting to build, as his current contract with Milan ends in 2024, and while there is a big desire to renew him, that hasn’t been done yet.
This is a situation covered by Niccolò Ceccarini on Sunday in an editorial for TuttoMercatoWeb, who points out the player has received an offer from Milan of around €4m of year to renew until 2027.
However, he does have ‘several admirers in the Premier League, Arsenal above all’.
Signed from AC Arles in 2015 for €300k, Bennacer only ever made the one appearance for the Gunners’ first-team (a 71 minute feature in the EFL Cup against Sheffield Wednesday), spending more time in their U21s and U19s than with the professionals.
