‘Seriously interested’: Agent says Arsenal wanted to sign £21m Premier League newbie

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Arsenal showed “serious interest” in Timothy Castagne before the Atalanta defender made a £21 million move to Leicester City earlier this week, agent George Gardi has told Tuttomercatoweb.

One day after Sport suggested Jose Mourinho’s Tottenham missed out on a deal for the Belgium international due to his price tag, Spurs’ north London neighbours have entered the conversation.

Hector Bellerin and Sead Kolasinac both face uncertain futures at the Emirates so the availability of a versatile full-back equally comfortable on the left or right didn’t go unnoticed.

And, according to Gardi, Leicester fought off some of Europe’s biggest clubs to get Castagne’s £21 million signing over the line.

“There were several teams seriously interested in the player, such as Arsenal and PSG, (but) Leicester, having made an important sale (Ben Chilwell to Chelsea), were first among the contenders to meet the demands of both Atalanta and the player,” Gardi said.

“He will bring (to Leicester) all the tactical knowledge he has learned in Italy, the ability to know how to play on both sides and his natural quality of being able to express himself in the two phases.”

Castagne is at his best when flying down the right-hand side, although it’s expected he will be tasked with replacing Chilwell on the opposite flank at Leicester.

Then again, with Ricardo Pereira expected to spend the next few months on the sidelines, perhaps Brendan Rodgers will be temped to give his new big-money signing a run on the right while putting his trust in youngster Luke Thomas on the left?