Marco Palestra
Marco Palestra
Arsenal and Manchester City are competing for the signature of Marco Palestra, with the Gunners also monitoring Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso.
Sport Witness have previously covered the Citizens’ attempt to sign the Bianconeri full-back. They didn’t want to match Juve’s valuation and the situation faded.
Cambiaso has witnessed ups and downs since then but that isn’t true for Palestra.
The youngster, who is at Cagliari on loan from Atalanta, has been a shining light for Italian football this season. He impressed in Italy’s World Cup playoff final against Bosnia, having had a stellar Serie A season.
Palestra is now increasingly attracting a lot of attention in Italy and abroad. Arsenal and Manchester City are now leading the race for him.
England move likely
Gazzetta dello Sport have a detailed report about Palestra’s situation. They claim Atalanta have rejected approaches from Inter Milan, AC Milan and Juventus already. They have appeared clear about keeping their prized asset once he returns from Cagliari.
However, this stance can change when Premier League clubs come forward for the full-back.
Intermediaries around Palestra are at work to arrange a move to England already. The player’s€40m price tag is relatively much difficult to afford for Italian sides, who may not even be able to afford a permanent deal.
As a result, Arsenal and Manchester City are ‘fighting’ over the talent and can also go above €40m with their offers. Their Champions League qualification has also convinced Palestra and his entourage about a move to either the Emirates or the Etihad.
Cambiaso’s future also uncertain
Gazzetta don’t stop there and also speak of Arsenal interest in Cambiaso. Mikel Arteta is a fan of the Azzurri defender and he tried to bring him to London last summer too.
Even if Cambiaso is currently happy in Turin and Luciano Spalletti sees him as a key player, things aren’t as certain.
In case of Juve’s failure to qualify for the Champions League, they will have to execute some major sales. Cambiaso has a market in England and this can force through his departure in the summer.
Our take: No surprise about English interest
While Cambiaso did struggle for a few months this season, he is back on track once. This has especially been true under Spalletti, whose system has brought the most out of the Italian.
Cambiaso’s versatility can prove vital for many clubs – including Arsenal. Palestra’s case is quite similar. Like his compatriot, he can play on either side and further forward too.
Both Arteta and Pep Guardiola have shown an inclination towards versatile players and Palestra fits the bill. He has grown quite a bit physically across the season, showing a rare ability to use both feet.
It won’t be a surprise if the 21-year-old’s stock grows further by the end of the season.