Rumour: Milan want Arsenal’s Joel Campbell as makeweight in Mario Balotelli deal
AC Milan want Arsenal wonderkid Joel Campbell to be included in any deal to take Mario Balotelli to the Premier League club, reports the Daily Express.
Campbell has been one of the breakout stars of the World Cup in Brazil so far. Costa Rica came from a goal behind to beat Uruguay 3-1, and the 21-year-old was at the heart of the surprise victory. Campbell fired a shot past Fernando Muslera to score Costa Rica’s first goal, and played a stunning pass to set up Marcos Urena for the third. He also impressed with his dribbling and long-range strikes.
Milan tracked Campbell during his spell at Olympiakos. Campbell is capable of playing out wide or up front, and he scored 11 goals and made 12 assists during his year in Greece.
The Serie A club value Balotelli at around £25 million, but that price could come down significantly if Arsenal included Campbell as a makeweight in the deal. The two clubs are believed to be prepared to wait until the World Cup has finished before deciding how much he would be worth.
Arsene Wenger has recently said that Campbell would be part of the Arsenal squad, after spending the last three years on loan at Lorient, Real Betis, and Olympiakos.