Fabrizio Romano confirms Aston Villa man approached by Euro giant amid concern over Arsenal raid

AC Milan has reportedly approached Barcelona to inquire about the possibility of signing Clement Lenglet, who is currently on loan at Aston Villa. The Italian giants are exploring defensive options and are uncertain about securing a deal for an Arsenal player to bolster their defense in the upcoming January transfer window.

Lenglet was deemed surplus to requirements by Barcelona manager Xavi in July last year, leading to his loan move to Tottenham Hotspur for the entire 2022-23 season. After making 35 appearances for Tottenham, Lenglet’s expected permanent move did not materialize, prompting Barcelona to find another loan destination. He subsequently joined Aston Villa on loan in September to strengthen Unai Emery’s defense.

However, Lenglet has faced frustration at Villa, having been left on the bench for every league match, despite featuring regularly in the Europa Conference League group stage. Reports suggest that Barcelona is concerned about the decline in Lenglet’s transfer value during his underwhelming spell at Villa, and there were speculations about the possibility of terminating his loan early.

Recent updates from transfer expert Fabrizio Romano indicate that AC Milan has contacted Barcelona to inquire about Lenglet’s situation. Milan is interested in knowing whether Barcelona would consider terminating Lenglet’s loan at Villa and sending him to Italy for the remainder of the season. While Milan is likely interested in a loan deal, it could benefit Barcelona if Lenglet plays regularly at Milan, potentially boosting his transfer value before the summer window.

The report also mentions Milan’s interest in Arsenal defender Jakub Kiwior. However, Milan is uncertain whether Arsenal will allow Kiwior to leave, as Arsenal aims to maintain strong squad depth for a serious Premier League title challenge and progress in cup competitions. The possibility of losing a valuable squad player like Kiwior may prompt Arsenal to resist his departure in the January transfer window.