Fabrizio Romano believes that reports of Arsenal’s interest in Dinamo Moscow winger Bitello were ‘wide of the mark’ with the Premier League outfit opting not to challenge his eventual switch to Russian football.
This, it seems, is a classic case of ‘don’t believe everything you read’.
Of course, there were a few good reasons to think that there was truth in suggestions that Bitello – one of the brightest attacking midfielders in South American football – could have ended the summer window as an Arsenal player.
Under technical director Edu Gaspar, Arsenal have made good use of the Brazilian market after all; Marquinhos, Pablo Mari and Gabriel Martinelli all arriving on his watch.
Bitello, meanwhile, would have given Mikel Arteta some valuable depth on the right-hand side, Bukayo Saka the club’s only natural right-winger.
Arsenal links with Bitello exaggerated
As far as Fabrizio Romano knows, however, reports suggesting that Arsenal were confident of bringing the 23-year-old to the Emirates Stadium were never anything more than speculation.
Inaccurate speculation at that.
“Links with Arsenal were always described as wide of the mark,” Romano explains.
Bitello struck up an excellent understanding with the legendary Luis Suarez at Gremio. And he instead moves to the Russian capital with Dinamo Moscow. Putting pen to paper on an £8.5 million deal earlier this month.
He marked his first Dinamo start with a goal too, albeit in a Russian Cup defeat to Krasnodar on Tuesday.
An excellent start to life in Russia
“Bitello is a great player. Very talented,” smiles Dinamo’s assistant coach Marcel Licka; tipping his new signing to emulate the impat made by former Zenit St Petersburg talisman Malcom in Russia.
“I’m glad he plays for our team. He has quality, he plays great with speed and is technically gifted. For the Russian Premier League, he can become the same as Malcom.
“It’s great that such players play here.”
The post 'Wide of the mark': Fabrizio Romano rubbishes £8.5m Arsenal transfer rumour appeared first on HITC.
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