Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are all set to battle it out with Manchester City for the services of Italian midfield sensation Samuele Ricci.
Arsenal and Manchester City are both looking at ways to reinforce their midfield when the transfer window reopens in January and according to a report from CaughtOffside, they are ready to battle it out for the signature of Torino defensive midfielder Samuele Ricci.
Ricci came up the ranks at FC Empoli before making the move to Torino at the start of 2022. He initially joined them on a short loan deal which was made permanent in the summer. The 23-year-old has only gone from strength to strength in recent years and he has broken into the Italian national team.
He can feature as a central midfielder as well as in a defensive role. His ability to win back possession along with his ball-playing abilities have put him on the radar of some top clubs and he is unlikely to stay at Torino for long.
While his contract at the Italian outfit runs until the summer of 2026, the Serie A club are anticipating an offer worth around €50 million for the young sensation when the window reopens in January amidst interest from Premier League outfits.
Premier League giants plot a winter move for Ricci
Arsenal and Manchester City are two clubs who are interested in the young defensive midfielder. City suffered a massive blow as Rodri picked up a serious knee injury which will result in him missing the remained of the season. They want to bring in a cover in January and Ricci is one of the names on their wishlist.
As far as the Gunners are concerned, signing a new number six is one of their top priorities. With Jorginho and Thomas Partey in the final phase of their career and their contracts running out, the Italian international could be a perfect signing for the North London club.
While both Premier League outfits are keen on his signature and Torino are open to negotiating his departure, City and Arsenal value him at around €30 million while the Italian outfit want €50 million which could complicate things.
Ricci could have an important role at Arsenal in the long run while at City the return of Rodri could have a major impact on his game time, as a result, he surely has a tough decision at his hands.
