Report: Arsenal, Inter Milan Ready to Battle for £20M Starlet Ismaila Sarr

Arsenal and Inter Milan are reportedly keeping an eye on Rennes starlet Ismaila Sarr, a Senegal international valued at £20 million. 

According to the Mirror's John Cross, his current club has stated the 20-year-old will not be sold in January, but that won't stop teams from trying their luck.

According to Cross, the youngster has draw comparisons to Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele. Sarr himself previously said he could have joined the Catalans in 2017 but instead opted for Rennes, per BBC Sport's Oluwashina Okeleji:

"I could have gone to Spain and join the great Barcelona, but leaving Metz to join them was too early.

"I saw Rennes as a club that will help me progress and reach great heights.

"I still have to progress defensively, offensively with more flair, and be more decisive in my approach towards goal.

"With Christian Gourcuff [Rennes manager], I am convinced that I will succeed."

The move to Brittany proved a smart one, as Sarr has continued his steady development. He bagged five goals in Ligue 1 last year and was rewarded with a spot in Senegal's World Cup squad.

This season, he has already scored twice in six Ligue 1 appearances. One of those goals was this stunner against Angers:

This effort in the UEFA Europa League was perhaps even better (U.S. only):

Rennes have a superb reputation for nurturing attacking talent and previously turned the likes of Dembele and Paul-Georges Ntep into wanted players. Sarr is less dependent on his athletic gifts than those two and instead stands out for his strong positional play and vision in the attacking third.

While he does most of his damage as a winger, his long-term future may be at striker, where he can maximise his output and make the most of his feel for the game.

Arsenal would love to add a tricky winger to their current attack, allowing Mesut Ozil to shift inside and play through the centre. An attacking three of Sarr, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette could be an explosive one with serious pace and scoring potential.

Inter have less of an immediate need with Ivan Perisic, Matteo Politano and Keita Balde in the squad, but the Nerazzurri have not made the best start to the Serie A campaign and might dip into the January transfer window as a result.