Arsenal are mulling over a transfer move for Eintracht Frankfurt and Germany left-back Nathaniel Brown, according to reports in Germany.
Brown enjoyed a breakout season with Frankfurt last term, making 25 league appearances in the Bundesliga to help the club secure Champions League qualification with a third-place finish.
The 22-year-old’s outstanding run of form has not go unnoticed by Julian Nagelsmann and he made his senior international debut in Germany’s 4-0 victory over Luxembourg last Friday, coming on as a late substitute for David Raum.
And though Brown did not feature against Northern Ireland on Monday night, it’s believed the youngster’s ambitions of securing a place in Germany’s World Cup squad are becoming increasingly realistic.
German newspaper Bild write that Brown has rapidly become a player ‘in demand’ at both club and international level, with AC Milan ‘desperate’ to sign the defender in the summer transfer window.
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Brown ‘quickly signalled’ that there was ‘no chance’ of a transfer move to Milan at the time, while also distancing himself from interest in the Premier League, in order to continue his development in Frankfurt.
However, Frankfurt are said to be aware that ‘this is just the beginning’ and ‘the suitors are now even more prominent’, with Brown’s stock soaring in recent months.
While Arsenal, Manchester City and Real Madrid all have Brown ‘on their lists’, the report stresses that the full-back remains fully focussed on Eintracht Frankfurt for the time being and ‘isn’t letting himself be thrown off balance’ by speculation over his future.
A move is not deemed a viable option for Brown until next summer at the very earliest.
In February, Brown put pen to paper on a contract extension with Frankfurt, tying him to the club until 2030. There is no release clause in his current deal at Deutsche Bank Park.
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Brown earned rave reviews in Germany with an outstanding performance to shut out fellow countryman Leroy Sane in Frankfurt’s 5-1 thrashing of Galatasaray in the Champions League last month.
He also impressed in defeat with a mature showing up against Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise before the international break.
‘He did well, especially because he played against Michael,’ Joshua Kimmich said of Brown’s display in Frankfurt’s 3-0 loss.
‘I know from my own experience how difficult that is, but I already had him [Brown] on my radar beforehand.’
After handing him his first Germany call-up, Nagelsmann said of Brown: ‘He is a young talent with huge potential.’
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