Both Arsenal and Inter Milan have been dealt something of a blow in the recruitment department as it has emerged that one of their mooted striker targets, Gianluca Scamacca, has signed a new deal with Sassuolo.
The Italian forward has caught the eye of clubs across Europe in the past two seasons, and has registered 13 domestic league goals so far this season, one fewer than Inter Milan top scorer Lautaro Martinez, and nine more than Arsenal frontman Alexandre Lacazette.
Still only 23, the Sassuolo forward has been linked to Liverpool and Tottenham, but it is the Gunners and Inter who have been creditted with the most concrete interest. However, a new contract may change that.
Scamacca, it was announced by the club, has penned a deal that will see him remain at the club until 2026, a further four years. In reality, it is unlikely that he will see that out should he continue to impress, but it will offer more financial muscle to the selling club, and drive the potential price up.
Ufficiale il rinnovo di Gianluca #Scamacca fino al 2⃣0⃣2⃣6⃣! ✍️
Il comunicato è online su https://t.co/d2ZofrUXUT ?#ForzaSasol ?? pic.twitter.com/NylyVE1Xyt
— U.S. Sassuolo (@SassuoloUS) April 13, 2022
Arsenal’s Lautaro Martinez blow?
Any Inter Milan move for Scamacca could have, in turn, allowed Arsenal to poach Martinez from the San Siro outfit, but that now looks unlikely.
It is the first domino to fall in what will be a long summer in the striker market too. All of Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Inter Milan, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid are on the hunt for a new no.9, and one has just been taken off the market.
It could prove to be one of the biggest spending transfer windows in a long time should the supply fail to match the increased demand.
