Premier League duo Arsenal and Aston Villa may be potential destinations for Hakan Calhanoglu with the Serie A playmaker facing an uncertain future at Simone Inzaghi’s Inter Milan, according to Inter Live.
Remember when it felt like every time Zlatan Ibrahimovic left a club, they would go on to win the Champions League immediately afterwards? Well, Calhanoglu may be forgiven for wondering what he has done to rub up the footballing gods the wrong way too.
His AC Milan team finished second behind rivals Inter in 2020/21. And, shortly after Calhanoglu swapped the Rossoneri for the Nerazzuri, the Serie A crown went in the opposite direction; Milan finishing two points above the Turkey international’s current employers at the end of a tense title battle in May.
This is not to say that Calhanoglu is to blame, of course. The one-time Bayer Leverkusen schemer has been one of the most consistent performers in Italian football. He contributed eight goals and 13 assists to the Inter cause during his debut season in blue-and-black.
“Calhanoglu is a great player,” says Inter coach Inzaghi. “(He is) able to combine quality and quantity. He runs so hard for the team as well. Every time I played against him, he caused me problems.
“We were fortunate enough to sign him. And I think he can get stronger, because he doesn’t realise how good he is.”
Arsenal and Aston Villa like Inter Milan star Hakan Calhanoglu
After just 18 months at Inter, rumours over Calhanoglu’s future are abounding once again. His contract expires in 2024. As such, unless an extension is forthcoming, the 28-year-old’s market value will drop considerably in the near future.
Inter Live believe that bids in the region of £25 million could tempt a sale; Arsenal and Aston Villa mentioned as potential destinations. That said, the Nerazzuri do have an extension clause in Calhanoglu’s contract.
Arsenal, meanwhile, are prioritising midfield additions as Mikel Arteta looks to add some depth to an exciting but rather thin Gunners squad.
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