Arsenal are poised to benefit from a substantial financial windfall as Serie A club Genoa have reportedly set a transfer price of around £17 million for former Gunners defender Brooke Norton-Cuffy. The 22-year-old has attracted significant interest from several Premier League clubs during the current January transfer window.
Premier League Clubs Show Strong Interest
West Ham United, Newcastle United, and Everton are all said to be monitoring the situation closely and considering late moves for the versatile defender. According to reports from journalist Ben Jacobs, Genoa are prepared to sell Norton-Cuffy this month for approximately €20 million, which converts to roughly £17 million in British currency.
Arsenal's Sell-On Clause Advantage
What makes this potential transfer particularly interesting for Arsenal is the significant sell-on clause they negotiated when selling Norton-Cuffy to Genoa in August 2024. The Gunners received £3.5 million for the player just eighteen months ago, and any sale at the current asking price would trigger a healthy additional payment to the North London club.
Norton-Cuffy has established himself as a key player for Genoa this season, making twenty Serie A appearances and becoming a regular starter for the Italian side. His versatility has proven particularly valuable, with the ability to play effectively as either a full-back or a winger providing tactical flexibility for his managers.
West Ham's Defensive Considerations
While West Ham remain in the market for defensive reinforcements, their priority under manager Nuno Espirito Santo appears to be strengthening at centre-back rather than in the full-back positions. The Hammers have recently bolstered their wide options with the signing of Adama Traore, and currently have both Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Kyle Walker-Peters available for the right-back position.
Norton-Cuffy's Development Journey
The young defender is a product of Arsenal's youth academy, though he never made a senior appearance for the club. Instead, he gained valuable experience through loan spells at Lincoln City, Rotherham United, Coventry City, and Millwall before making his permanent move to Italy.
In October, Norton-Cuffy spoke about his decision to move abroad, explaining his motivation for choosing Serie A football. "I wanted to come here, play and experience a new style of football, experience a new culture and put myself outside what I'd say is my comfort zone," he said. "I could have easily stayed in England and played for an English team. But I said: 'Let me try the challenge abroad. Let me learn a new culture.'"
The defender specifically highlighted the defensive education available in Italian football, noting that "the Italian league is known for its defensive abilities, structure, style of play. So I said: 'Let me come and improve on my defensive side of the game, but also show what I can do going forward and bring my own style to this league.'"
Potential Transfer Timeline
With the January transfer window approaching its conclusion, any move for Norton-Cuffy would need to be completed quickly. Jacobs has reported that the player "could leave" this month for the €20 million fee, suggesting that negotiations could accelerate in the coming days.
When Norton-Cuffy originally departed Arsenal, he shared a heartfelt message on social media thanking the club for his development. "It's time to say goodbye to @Arsenal," he wrote. "Thank you for everything. I've made so many good memories at this club and learnt a lot. Thanks to team-mates, coaches, fans and everyone involved in my journey. Now it's time for a new chapter."
That new chapter in Italy has evidently been successful enough to attract Premier League attention, potentially creating a profitable situation for his former club through the carefully negotiated sell-on clause in his transfer agreement.
