Arsenal are preparing to "test the waters" in January with an offer for a rising star in the Bundesliga, as Mikel Arteta looks to bolster his squad.
Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Merino arrived in the summer on permanent transfers, while Raheem Sterling and Neto are loan deals Arsenal completed. So far, though, those signings have failed to bring the Gunners closer to that elusive Premier League title, with Arteta's side now seven points behind leaders Liverpool after just 10 games.
The January transfer window presents new opportunity for Arteta and the club's hierarchy to breathe new life into the squad, however, with one youngster being lined up.
Arsenal keen on Bundesliga talent Hugo Larsson
According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are preparing a €40m offer for Eintracht Frankfurt youngster Hugo Larsson, who is attracting interest from across Europe.
The report suggests that Liverpool, Tottenham, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are all monitoring the 20-year-old's progress in the Bundesliga, but it's Arsenal who are willing to make a concrete offer to jump ahead of the other clubs.
A key figure in central midfield for Eintracht Frankfurt, Larsson has started eight out of Frankfurt's nine Bundesliga games this term, helping them climb to third in the league. Comfortable on the ball and with an eye for goal - he has scored three goals in all competitions in 2024/25 - Larsson is a true box-to-box midfielder.
His contract runs until 2029, however, with Larsson having only signed a new deal at the beginning of October. But while the Swede is valued at €28m by Transfermarkt, Arsenal's reported offer is likely a lot closer to the true value.
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That could only rise in the coming months, with Larsson's importance to the German side getting bigger with each game. In FourFourTwo's view, Larsson does seem like an ideal signing Arsenal could make in January that would help to eliminate some of their problems in central midfield.
He also isn't too expensive, relatively speaking, and, at 20, has plenty of years to further develop under Arteta's stewardship.
Arsenal are in Champions League action against Inter Milan on Wednesday, before returning to the Premier League versus Chelsea on Sunday.
