Arsenal eye surprise move for Bundesliga star as Andrea Berta targets first January transfer

Current Premier League leaders Arsenal are believed to be eyeing their first transfer of the January window. Reports suggest that Mikel Arteta is keeping a close eye on Eintracht Frankfurt's rising star Nathaniel Brown.

The 22-year-old left-back gained recognition during Germany's journey to the UEFA European Under-21 Championship final this summer, where they were defeated by England in extra time. According to Now Arsenal, German reports indicate that the Gunners could make a move for Brown in January to bolster their defensive line-up, but they may face competition from Manchester City.

Born in Germany, the German-American defender climbed through the ranks before making his mark with 1. FC Nurnberg, impressing as both an attacking full-back and a left-sided centre-back. After a successful 2022/23 season in Bundesliga 2, he was snapped up by Frankfurt in January 2024, before being loaned back to Nurnberg for the remainder of the season.

READ MORE: Arsenal's £45m star lined up for stunning transfer - 'You're coming back home'

READ MORE: Martin Zubimendi claims two transfers forced Liverpool rejection before Arsenal pep talk

Since returning to the Eagles, he has flourished under Dino Toppmöller, making 32 Bundesliga appearances last season, contributing to 12 clean sheets and providing three assists. As a result, the 22-year-old was rewarded with a new contract that runs until 2030 and is believed to be worth around £19million.

Arsenal's sporting director Andrea Berta could see Brown as exactly the type of player Arteta would want to add to his talented squad, providing further competition for Myles Lewis-Skelly and Riccardo Calafiori. With Brown now on a long-term contract, Frankfurt are likely to demand a sizeable fee for their sought-after player.

However, talks could begin ahead of the January transfer window. Arteta is under pressure to bring another trophy to north London after nearly six years in the manager's hotseat, but his team currently sits top of the Premier League table and hopes are high that the Spaniard can end the club's five-year trophy drought.

Before the international break, the Gunners bagged four victories in a row in all competitions, including two in the Premier League to move above Liverpool. In fact, Arteta's men have only tasted defeat once this season in the top flight - a 1-0 loss to the Reds at the end of August.

Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content.

We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners.

If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.

If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.