Gino Peruzzi last season with Catania might be on the move again

Arsene Wenger has just completed the transfer of French International right-back, Mathieu Debuchy but there are now reports that Arsenal will make a move for 22-year-old, Argentine defender, Gino Peruzzi. Since impressing during his time with Vélez Sarsfield as a teenager, Peruzzi has long been seen as the future Argentina right-back and Arsenal could try and negotiate a deal this week.

Sky Italia have reported that in the early part of this week, Arsenal will discuss the possibility of this transfer with Serie A side, Catania, who paid Vélez €3.4 million one year ago. At the time, Paolo Di Canio was close to bringing Peruzzi to Sunderland only for a medical to halt the deal and see Catania swoop.

During his first season in Italy, Peruzzi played 20 times for Catania, scoring once and creating another and was close to Alejandro Sabella’s World Cup Squad. Having represented La Albiceleste on 4 occasions, Peruzzi will without question have a future for Argentina but Sabella opted for a more experienced squad in Brazil.

Peruzzi is a strong tackler and excellent reader of the game who burst onto the South American scene when representing Vélez in the 2012 Copa Libertadores. In the Quarter Final against Santos, a 19-year-old Peruzzi kept Neymar at bay over the two legs and immediately became one of the young players to watch.

Arsenal’s interest is long standing, given that Arsene Wenger had scouts watching Vélez at the same time and in fact came close to signing teammate, Ricky Álvarez, before he signed for Inter Milan.

Solid defensively, Peruzzi also likes to get forward and was just as comfortable while in Argentina playing on the right of midfield. Arsene Wenger could be just the manager to oversee Peruzzi’s development but at 22, struggling to get games at The Emirates might not be ideal.

Any transfer at present appears to be someway off so no fee has been mentioned but it would be an exciting move for one of Argentina’s top defensive prospects to switch to one of the biggest sides in the Premier League.

*Report appeared in The Mirror