Exclusive: Cambridge United Join Chase for Arsenal’s Albanian Defender Maldini Kacurri

Cambridge United have joined the race to sign Arsenal’s Maldini Kacurri on loan, SportsBoom can exclusively reveal.

Director of Football Mark Bonner wants to cover all bases this window as Neil Harris’ U’s bid to get promoted straight back to League One this term.

As exclusively reported by SportsBoom last week, the U’s signed Elliott Nevitt on loan from fellow League Two outfit Gillingham as the club bolstered their attacking stocks heading into the second half of the campaign. 

Defender Kacurri is attracting a lot of interests from the fourth tier with Arsenal expected to choose his destination before the weekend. 

Grimsby Town are one of a number of clubs who are understood to have approached the Gunners over the 20-year-old. 

Kacurri was recalled from an impressive loan spell at National League Morecambe earlier this month with a view of finding the player a Football League move for the second half of the campaign to further enhance his development.

The Albanian international has been training with the club’s first team and has caught the eye of manager Mikel Arteta since he removed from the north west coast.

Big Shoes To Fill

Kacurri was named after former AC Milan and Italy captain Paolo Maldini and began his youth career at Fulham before being snapped up by the north London club in 2022.

He signed his first professional deal with the Premier League side in 2024 and made his debut in an EFL Cup fixture against Bolton Wanderers.

Last term, he went on loan to Football League new boys Bromley but made just three appearances.

Kacurri, who made his debut for Albania earlier this year, spent the first half of the season on loan at Morecambe and was named Player of the Month in both October and November as he impressed during an 18-game stint.