In one of what will undoubtedly prove an endless list of slightly odd transfer links, The Daily Telegraph, along with several other sources, have picked up on a Tuttosport and Forza story that suggest Arsenal are poised to bid £10.7m for flexible Torino full-back Matteo Darmian.

The ex-Ac Milan youth product has over the last two seasons started to fulfil the promise he had as a youngster and is now a regular in the national side with 11 caps.

His stock is even more on the rise after scoring the equaliser and setting up the winner in Torino’s 2-1 victory in the Turin derby against the mighty Juventus at the weekend, indicative of the attacking intent with which he plays for both club and country.

Speaking about a possible move last month, Darmian said: “We will see at the end of the season.

“Certainly for my growth, all credit goes to Torino.”

The player has also been linked with Manchester United, Barcelona and Bayern Munich in a predictable ‘race between big clubs’ narrative.

It seems an unlikely transfer from an Arsenal perspective, with the recent form of Monreal at left-back and the emergence of Bellerin on the right, but Darmian is an excellent tackler and a good crosser of the ball with either foot, so should it come to pass, we could do a lot worse.

The 25-year-old is renowned for enjoying his jaunts up the pitch to help with the attacking play, which sounds familiar and the type of player Arsene Wenger would sign. The price-tag isn’t verging on daylight robbery either, unlike a lot of players we’re being linked with.

But like most of the stories we are going to see this summer, there is some smoke, but certainly no fire, and won’t happen unless current squad players leave.