Bennacer joined with Arsenal in 2015 during Arsene Wenger’s tenure, and he currently plays for AC Milan, the reigning Serie A champions.
The Algerian international, who was originally assigned to the Gunners’ age-group squads, made his senior debut in a League Cup encounter in October of 2015. He was 17 years old.
The midfield player, who spent the 2016–17 season on loan at Ligue 2 side Tours before transferring to Italy to join Empoli on a permanent move at the end of the campaign, had that game as his first and only senior appearance in an Arsenal shirt.
Bennacer was instrumental in his new team’s promotion to Serie A, where he went on to have a stellar debut season.
Milan was drawn to that, and in four seasons there, he has made 138 appearances.
Arsenal may now be regretting letting go of the 25-year-old, who is among the best deep-lying midfield players in Europe, in a trade that, according to Transfermarkt, was only worth €1 million. Last year, Gunners legend Thierry Henry called him a “very good” player.
However, it is now asserted that Arteta made an effort to at least partially make amends for that transaction.
The Italian publication Calciomercato claims that before to completing the deal of Jorginho from Chelsea on the day of the transfer deadline, Arsenal ‘tried earnestly’ to get Bennacer back to the Emirates Stadium.
According to the article, Arteta is fond of some traits possessed by the Algerian, and the two were concurrently members of Arsenal’s playing staff.
The midfielder and the Spaniard were seen chatting following the friendly match between Milan and Arsenal in December’s Dubai Super Cup.
A summer transfer, meanwhile, seems improbable given Calciomercato’s report that Bennacer has previously turned down offers from La Liga and the Premier League because he believes San Siro will be his long-term home.
He reportedly has a €50 million release clause that kicks in in 2024, but OneFootball claims he signed a new contract with Milan in January that lasts until 2027.
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