Arsenal are reportedly looking to beat Chelsea to the signing of Cagliari midfielder Nicolo Barella.
Gazzetta dello Sport, as cited by The Daily Mail, claims that the Gunners have entered the race to land the 22-year-old, whose development in the past two seasons has earned him plenty of plaudits.
Chelsea have reportedly held talks with Cagliari over a possible deal for Barella, but it seems they may need to fend off competition from Arsenal if they are to land the midfielder.
The Blues face a transfer ban for the upcoming summer and January windows, casting doubt over their ability to sign Barella in the immediate future.
However, Arsenal are under no such restrictions and are claimed to have sent scouts out to watch the youngster net his first ever senior international goal as Italy defeated Finland 2-0 on Saturday.
If Barella is to arrive in the Premier League this summer, however, Cagliari will accept nothing less than a premium price. Gazzetta’s report states that a fee worth at least £39 million could be demanded.
