Moretto: Milan tried for Barcelona and Girona right-backs on deadline day – the background

AC Milan tried until the end of the summer window to get another right-back in, having sold Alex Jimenez to Bournemouth.

Jimenez completed a deadline day move to the Premier League side and it meant that Milan were/are a bit short on cover for the wing-back positions, with Alexis Saelemaekers the only real option for the right side in particular.

Thus, reports started circulating that the Rossoneri management were pursuing a late deal for a right-sided defender. In the end, the only defender to arrive was young centre-back David Odogu from Wolfsburg.

Two Spanish names explored

Matteo Moretto was on the latest video on Fabrizio Romano’s YouTube channel and he addressed some rumours surrounding Milan’s latest attempts to sign a right-back on the final day of the mercato.

Photos: Juan Manuel Serrano Arce + Angel Martinez/Getty Images

“Milan also tried to see if there was a chance of landing a right-back after Alex Jimenez left for Bournemouth. I’ll give you two names that I’ve already mentioned, two Spanish players who gravitate towards the Barcelona hemisphere. Milan explored them, but they didn’t pursue them,” he said (via MilanNews).

“The first is Arnau Martinez, right-back from Girona: he had a €14m release clause, an opportunity for many clubs, even though for the last two or three days the Catalan team was said to have said no anyway, unless the clause was paid. In the end, Arnau decided to stay, but it’s true that Milan explored him.

“Hector Fort’s profile was also explored, but he too remained in LaLiga. In this case, other factors came into play: the player was looking for a project where he could play regularly and consistently. In the very final hours of the transfer window, he left Barcelona on loan to join Elche, where he will be able to play consistently.”