Mehdi Dorval is being linked with a move from Bari to fellow Serie B side Sampdoria, with the versatile left-back emerging as a potential defensive reinforcement for the Genoa club.
Reports in Italy suggest Sampdoria are monitoring the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at €2.40m, as they look to reshape their squad for a promotion push. The probability of a deal remains unclear – listed only as “?” in the latest transfer notes – but Dorval’s situation is attracting attention, not least because his current contract details at Bari are not publicly specified, raising the possibility he could move on relatively easily or even edge towards free agency in future windows.
Dorval, born on 9 February 2001 in Paris, represents both Algeria and France at national level on paper and has built a reputation in Italy as a modern full-back, comfortable on either foot and primarily deployed at left-back. He wears the number 93 shirt for Bari and has seen his market value fluctuate sharply in recent seasons, peaking at around €4m in early 2025 before dipping to its current €2.40m, according to Transfermarkt’s latest update on 11 December 2025.
Before joining Bari from Audace Cerignola in 2022, Dorval came through Amiens SC’s youth ranks in France, then moved to FCM Aubervilliers, US Città di Fasano and Cerignola, progressing from the French lower leagues into Italian professional football. That steady rise through Serie D and into Serie B has made him an attractive proposition for clubs seeking relatively low-cost, development-ready defenders.
If Sampdoria decide to formalise their interest, a transfer could offer Dorval a fresh platform at another historically significant Italian club, and the move may prove pivotal in determining whether he consolidates his status in Serie B or uses it as a springboard to a higher level.
