“On their January shortlist…”: Arsenal considering winter swoop for “courageous” Italian youngster

AC Milan's Davide Bartesaghi celebrates scoring their second goal with Christopher Nkunku and Strahinja Pavlovic. (REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo)

Arsenal tightened their grip at the top of the Premier League table with a hard-fought 2–1 victory over Brighton at the weekend, but it was far from a comfortable afternoon for Mikel Arteta’s side.

The Gunners had to withstand a nervy late spell to secure all three points, underlining both their resilience and the growing strain on the squad.

That pressure is being exacerbated by an alarming injury list.

Riccardo Calafiori, Cristhian Mosquera, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber, Ben White and highly rated youngster Max Dowman are all currently sidelined, leaving Arteta short of options as the season edges towards a decisive phase.

With depth becoming an increasing concern, Arsenal are already casting an eye towards the January transfer window.

Arsenal are understood to be weighing up a potential move for AC Milan left-back Davide Bartesaghi, one of Serie A’s most highly regarded young defenders, according to Caught Offside.

The 19-year-old – who has been described as “courageous” by former Milan boss Fabio Capello – has enjoyed a breakthrough campaign at San Siro, establishing himself in Milan’s senior setup and contributing two goals in 13 appearances across all competitions.

The Gunners are not alone in tracking Bartesaghi. Manchester City and Real Madrid are also believed to be monitoring his development, with Milan placing a hefty valuation of around €45 million on the Italian youngster.

Arsenal’s admiration is clear, particularly as Arteta continues to assess long-term solutions at left-back amid ongoing fitness issues in his squad.

One source close to the agents industry revealed to Caught Offside: “Arsenal have put Davide Bartesaghi on their January shortlist. But Milan value him at around €45m, and a deal in the middle of the season doesn’t currently look realistic.”

Given that price tag, a winter move appears unlikely, with Milan reluctant to part ways mid-season and Arsenal mindful of value.

Instead, Bartesaghi is shaping up as a longer-term target — one that could become more realistic in future windows if circumstances align. With Europe’s elite circling, however, Arsenal may need to act decisively to stay ahead of the competition.

Barnaby Lane is a highly experienced sports writer who has written for The Times, FourFourTwo Magazine, Sports Illustrated, TalkSPORT, and Business Insider.

Over the years, he's had the pleasure of interviewing some of the biggest names in world sport, including Usain Bolt, Rafael Nadal, Christian Pulisic, and more.