Arsenal’s interest in Marco Palestra gains serious momentum
Arsenal are closing in on a summer move for Atalanta right-back Marco Palestra. Atalanta’s €30–40m asking price is actually helping the Gunners by pricing out Italian rivals. The 21-year-old has enjoyed a standout loan spell at Cagliari this season, recording 1 goal, 4 assists, and an average FotMob rating of 7.08 across 2,781 minutes, which earned him his first senior call-up to the Italy national team.
Jurrien Timber has been the main choice at right-back for Arsenal lately, and the club are now looking at Palestra to add even more depth to the defence. Ben White has started just six Premier League games all season and is clearly on the fringes of Mikel Arteta’s squad, which makes bringing in Palestra feel like a necessary move.
The buzz around a move to London is growing, and the full-back is easily one of the best young defenders in Europe at the moment. Alessandro Lucci, who manages both Palestra and Arsenal’s Riccardo Calafiori, gives the Gunners a massive head start in talks. Barcelona have now joined the race alongside Manchester City, so Arsenal will need to act fast to get this over the line.
Atalanta’s price tag opens the Premier League door
Atalanta’s £39m valuation is expected to push Italian clubs out of the running, leaving the Premier League as the front-runner for Palestra’s signature. This follows a growing trend, similar to Riccardo Calafiori and Diego Coppola, where top Italian defenders head to England rather than staying in Serie A. Inter Milan are interested, but they are stuck between a tight budget and the uncertainty surrounding Denzel Dumfries, which makes a deal difficult for them.
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Why Arsenal should act quickly?
Palestra has the exact attributes Arteta looks for. He is comfortable playing as a traditional right-back or pushing higher up as a wing-back, much like the versatility Calafiori offers on the opposite flank. Arteta loves defenders who can carry the ball, press hard, and help in transition. These are the exact areas where Palestra has been incredibly consistent.
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Should Arsenal prioritise Palestra over other right-back targets this summer?
I honestly feel they should, and the agent link makes this a rare chance Arsenal shouldn’t miss. Lucci’s history with the club should make the transfer process much smoother. For around €30–40 million, Palestra is great value for a 21-year-old international who still has plenty of room to grow. Arsenal need to wrap this up before Barcelona’s interest turns into a real problem.
