Arsenal are on red alert as Napoli right-back Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s agent opens the door for a summer departure.
According to Football.London, Arsenal have set their sights on Giovanni Di Lorenzo as Mikel Arteta continues his search for a replacement for Hector Bellerin. The Napoli defender has emerged as one of the potential targets, especially after his agent Mario Giuffredi has opened the door for a potential exit this summer.
“If offers arrive, we are obliged to take them into consideration, also in the interest of Napoli, because it is the president himself who has put everyone on the market. So, we feel we are on the market. If an appropriate offer arrives, it’ll be discussed and considered. At the moment, no request has arrived,” said the Italian agent when asked about his client’s future.
It has put Arsenal on the red alert, as they look to strike a deal for the Napoli right-back, who is believed to be valued at around €25 million. He is being targeted as a direct replacement for Bellerin, although the latter is yet to leave Emirates amid links from Atletico Madrid.
Formerly of Reggina, Di Lorenzo has turned a few heads with his performances for Italy in Euro 2020. He was initially a replacement for the injured Alessandro Florenzi, but it didn’t take him long to gain the trust of Roberto Mancini, who employed him as the main right-back for the remainder of the tournament.
The 27-year-old has had a lot of success at the club level, too, notching up almost 100 competitive appearances for Napoli since joining the club in 2019. He has leapfrogged Elseid Hysaj, becoming the undisputed number one choice at right-back for the Partenopei.
Di Lorenzo’s defensive resilience and positional awareness appear to have attracted Arsenal. Quite interestingly, the Gunners reportedly value Bellerin at €25 million, so the club can realistically approach a direct swap deal with Napoli, although it remains unlikely Napoli will be able to afford the Spaniard.
However, a bigger issue for Arsenal is that they are not the only club interested in Di Lorenzo. Their fellow Premier League rivals Manchester United are reportedly willing to splash €20 million, which could be problematic for the Londoners, knowing they cannot approach the Napoli defender without getting rid of Bellerin this summer.
The club’s absence in European football doesn’t favour them either. As such, Mikel Arteta could be forced to explore other options, with Max Aarons remaining a target.