Bacary Sagna Reportedly Wanted by Napoli for January Transfer from Arsenal

Rafa Benitez is preparing to test Bacary Sagna's resolve with a January bid for the Arsenal defender, according to reports in France.

As noted by le10sport, via the Daily Star's David Wright, the Napoli boss is looking for a long-term solution to his lack of options at right-back:

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The Italian outfit recently signed 34-year-old Anthony Reveillere on a free as a short term solution, but are looking to bring in a permanent right-back in January who can serve for a number of seasons.

French publication le10sport report that Benitez is hoping to sign Sagna in the New Year for a relatively small fee due to his contract expiring at the end of the season.

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Sagna has played 10 times in the Premier League this season, as reported by WhoScored.com, and has seen his form improve alongside the consistent run of games.

He was a star performer for Arsene Wenger's men in the recent defeat to Manchester United, a match in which he laid on two pinpoint crosses to the Gunners' attack.

Although Olivier Giroud and Nicklas Bendtner failed to convert from close range, Sagna ran Patrice Evra ragged in the second half of the tightly fought contest.

As noted in Wright's report, a January switch to the Stadio San Paolo would rule Sagna out of playing Champions League football for the rest of the season. He would also be turning his back on an Arsenal side who are currently two points clear at the top of the Premier League.

Napoli are currently third in Serie A, sitting four points behind undefeated Roma and three points shy of current champions Juventus. The Turin-based side battered Benitez's men 3-0 before the international break, a match which saw the Partenopei's defence constantly exposed.

Sami Mokbel of the Daily Mail Online recently reported Sagna is looking to leave the club at the end of the season, an occurrence that would force Wenger into hunting another right-back.

Carl Jenkinson has failed to impress during his sporadic appearances and is unlikely to step into consistent first-team duties at this stage of his young career.

Although Sagna would represent a significant loss, Wenger may feel this is the perfect opportunity to enhance his squad with a talent who is beneath the milestone of 30.

However, given Arsenal's dual assault on the Premier League and Champions League, it seems unlikely Wenger would want to lose the versatile Frenchman midseason.

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