Arsenal are ready to flex their financial muscles in the transfer market after confirming the appointment of Unai Emery as the club’s new manager and defence is likely to be an area of focus this summer.
The Gunners are without experienced defender Laurent Koscielny for the next six months through injury, while captain Per Mertesacker has retired to take a role with the academy and £35m Germany international Shkodran Mustafi has struggled for form.
That’s left the Gunners in the market for defensive additions and ESPN claim the north London side are one of many sides with an interest in highly-rated Hamburg defender Josha Vagnoman, who’s regarded as one of the finest young talents in German football.
Eyed by a number of Bundesliga sides, as well as Premier League duo Chelsea and Everton, Vagnoman made his debut for Hamburg against Bayern Munich at the age of just 17 – the second youngest player in history to play in Germany’s top-flight.
Vagnoman also featured in every match for Germany’s U17 side at last summer’s World Cup, where they lost in the quarter-finals to Brazil, and his versatility means he’s capable of playing on either flank of the defence.
Arsenal’s German connections, lead by head of recruitment Sven Mislintat, have left the Gunners in a solid position in the race for Vagnoman’s services but the likes of RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are also keen.
