Francesco Pio Esposito: Inter prospect drawing Arsenal interest

The Gazzetta dello Sport claimed earlier this week that Arsenal have expressed an interest in signing Inter prospect Francesco Pio Esposito. Inter CEO Beppe Marotta moved quickly to play down the talk: "Arsenal did not ask for Pio," he said, adding that Inter "are not a selling club" and that Pio, a product of their youth sector, is guarded "like a treasure." Esposito, 20, was born in Castellammare di Stabia.

His father Agostino was a centre-back before becoming a coach, and both older brothers, Salvatore and Sebastiano, followed football paths that led the family to Brescia and then to Inter in 2014. After time with Inter's Under-19s and a loan to Spezia — where he scored 17 goals in 35 appearances in his second season — Inter brought him back to the first team.

Christian Chivu included Esposito in the squad for the Club World Cup and the forward marked early opportunities with goals, including his first Inter strike in a 2-0 win in Seattle and his Serie A opener in a 2-0 win at Cagliari.

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