Arsenal are one of the clubs interested in signing Atalanta starlet Marco Palestra, according to Caught Offside.
The 20-year-old is presently on loan at Cagliari where he has impressed with three assists from 15 appearances. He has primarily operated from the right wing-back position for the Serie A outfit.
His form has caught the eye of top Italian clubs such as Inter, AC Milan, Juventus and Napoli, but he is also being closely monitored by Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Chelsea.
His valuation has already risen to £31-35 million, but Atalanta seem in no rush to part ways with the 20-year-old.
Future signing
The Gunners currently have Jurrien Timber as the regular right-back option with Ben White as his immediate deputy. White recently got a regular run of starts for Arsenal as Timber played in central defence due to an injury crisis, but the Englishman is now on the sidelines with a fresh hamstring injury.
Injuries have hampered the development of White over the last 18 months, and there is a possibility that the Gunners could contemplate his exit next summer when he will enter the last 2 years of his Arsenal contract. This could pave the way for a quality replacement to be signed.
Palestra, who has eight caps with the Italian under-21 side, would be a good candidate to succeed White. The 20-year-old is an attacking right-back and has played as a wing-back at Cagliari. He has completed 84% of his passes, while winning an impressive 6.7 duels per game for the Serie A outfit.
He has also made 3.5 recoveries, 1.7 tackles and 1.4 clearances per outing, and has chipped in with 3 assists. Palestra has the attributes of a modern right-back and he would be a good competitor to Timber next term if the Gunners were to part ways with White in the summer.
Meanwhile, Atalanta are not an easy club to negotiate with, and Arsenal may need to match their valuation to prise the youngster away from Bergamo. There is also competition from several Serie A clubs as well as Chelsea. The Gunners won’t face an easy challenge to sign him.
