Spotted early by scouts at Arsenal, Ismaƫl Bennacer could and should have been one of the emerging talents of recent years at the Emirates.
However, he ended up going to Empoli in Italy, where he developed enough to attract the attention of Milan, who bought him and helped him reach another level.
So much so, in fact, that the likes of Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain took notice during the last transfer window, leading to stories about Pep Guardiola reportedly speaking directly with the player’s entourage.
How much of that was true remains to be seen, but it certainly wouldnāt be surprising if the Etihad club did want him, and theyāll find it much easier to get him next season when a ā¬50m release clause in his contract will become active, only available to foreign clubs.
Thatās what Corriere dello Sport are reporting on Wednesday, explaining itās ādifficult, for the moment, to snatch him from Milanā, but āif their results were to rise, then the reasoning could change very quickly.
As things stand, Bennacer is āalways willing to stayā, but it wouldnāt be surprising if the thought of winning trophies either in France or England swayed him down the line.