Arsenal face fresh setback as Pio Esposito closes in on Inter Milan stay

Arsenal and Manchester United have made late enquiries about Pio Esposito, but the Italy Under-? striker is reportedly close to agreeing a new contract with Inter Milan that would keep him at San Siro until 2031.

The 21-year-old forward has already reached a verbal agreement with Inter Milan, according to CaughtOffside, leaving both Premier League clubs facing disappointment in their attempts to assess his availability. Esposito is now working on finalising the formal details of the new deal.

The proposed contract is expected to include a significant pay rise compared with the agreement he signed in April 2025. The improved terms would reflect Inter Milan’s confidence in Esposito’s ability and the club’s desire to retain him for the long term.

CaughtOffside reported: “Arsenal and Manchester United made contact again late on to ask about Esposito’s situation, but the response was clear, as they were told that the player is in the process of completing an agreement with Inter Milan on a new contract.”

Esposito has attracted sustained interest from both Arsenal and Manchester United because of the potential he has shown from a young age. However, their latest approaches appear to have come too late, with his future increasingly likely to remain in Italy.

Arsenal are seeking to strengthen their attack before the transfer window closes after failing to complete two prominent targets, Vinicius Junior and Morgan Rogers.

The north London club is expected to begin looking for an alternative to Vinicius Junior soon, having identified the need for another attacking option before the new season begins. Several familiar names have returned to the discussion, although there have been no concrete moves or advanced negotiations so far.

That lack of progress is understood to be linked to the availability of the players involved and the positions taken by their current clubs.

Alvarez and Barcola remain difficult targets

Arsenal have long admired Julian Alvarez and Bradley Barcola, but the club recognises the complexity of trying to sign either player under the present circumstances.

A possible departure from Atletico Madrid remains conceivable for Alvarez this summer, although the Spanish club is not willing to part with its striker easily. The Argentina international, meanwhile, is believed to favour staying in Spain.

There has been no significant development in the situation. Atletico Madrid remain determined not to sell Alvarez to domestic rivals Barcelona, resulting in a stalemate in the negotiations.

Barcelona’s interest is also thought to have cooled after the club faced the threat of legal action. The Catalan side is understood to have begun considering other targets.

That may not make a move easier for Arsenal. Mikel Arteta could have reservations about trying to persuade a player who does not appear fully convinced by the London club’s sporting project.

Arsenal cannot be ruled out of making another attempt to sign Barcola, but all the sources contacted in relation to the deal indicate that Liverpool are currently the favourites to secure his services.

Transfer situations can change quickly, however, and the current expectation is not necessarily an indication of the final outcome. Arsenal’s pursuit of Rogers provides a recent example. The club was thought to be in a strong position to sign him, only for Chelsea to intervene and complete the deal earlier in the transfer window.

Liverpool’s advantage in the race for Barcola could therefore still disappear. For now, Arsenal face a difficult task in replacing the targets they have missed, while Esposito moves closer to committing his future to Inter Milan until 2031.