Former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas is set to welcome one of Mikel Arteta’s former transfer targets.
The Spaniard took charge of Italian side Como in July, where he’s aiming to build something special.
Sitting 16th in the Serie A table at present, there’s a long way for Fabregas’ side to go and now, the Italians are on course to bolster their squad.
The news will come as intrigue to those at Arsenal, as Como are in the final stages of welcoming a former target of Arteta at the Emirates.
Cesc Fabregas closes in on signing former Arsenal target Ivan Fresneda
In the January window of 2023, Arsenal were interested in Ivan Fresneda, a teenage right-back who was representing Real Valladolid at the time.
Now 20 and playing for Sporting CP, Fresneda is set to be on the move again, with Fabregas following Arteta in seeing the appeal of the youngster’s skill set.
Fresneda appreciates Arteta and was open about the transfer interest he received from the Gunners, which surprisingly ended in the defender rejecting Arsenal’s approach.
In an interview with AS, Fresnda’s agent confirmed that his client turned down Arteta’s project to ‘keep his feet on the ground’ as he pushed for consistent game time at Valladolid.
It was an admirable stance from the level-headed youngster and now, he’s set to spread his wings further and head to Italy.
That’s according to Fabrizio Romano’s latest update, as the renowned journalist reported that a deal has been agreed for €10m on an initial loan with an obligation to buy.
Fresneda’s 2023 rejection of Arsenal surprised many but now, he will have ties to the Gunners, soon to be a player of former Gunner Fabregas.
It’s not the first time that Fabregas and Arteta have merged on the transfer front, as in October 2024, Arsenal were linked to Como’s Nico Paz.
Why Fresneda was right to reject Arsenal
The player didn’t see the appeal of the move to Arsenal at such an early stage of his career however, in the summer of 2023, he transferred to Sporting.
| Season | Apps | Minutes |
| 2023/24 | 10 | 198 |
| 2024/25 | 11 | 345 |
Things haven’t gone to plan for the 20-year-old in Lisbon, having made limited appearances due to injury and his place lower down in the pecking order.
A move to Como seems to be the right next step for the former Arsenal target, who has a clear plan to develop his game away from the spotlight.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
