Arsenal join in the race with a host of other clubs for the signature of Hamburg centre-forward, Jann-Fiete Arp. The 17-year-old has caught the eye with his performances in the Bundesliga and now, Premier League giants Manchester City and Chelsea are lining up alongside the Gunners in pursuit of the youngster. The Mirror has recently reported that the Blues are set to beat Manchester City and Arsenal to the signing of the Hamburg starlet. He was already offered an opportunity to make a move to Stamford Bridge last summer but the youngster decided to decline and stay at Hamburg.
The German even said, “It doesn’t make any sense to join Chelsea as a 17-year-old.” and cited a need for more first-team experience as the key reason for his decision. The young forward is one of your Europe’s hottest prospects following his impressive performances for his nation at the European under-17 Championships. Hamburg president Heribert Bruchhagen was previously quoted to have said, “He will stay with us. His advisor Jürgen Milewski has promised me and sporting director, Jens Todt. He will develop with us.”
However, six months have passed since then and the Blues have now renewed their interest in the youngster along with Arsenal and Manchester City. Hamburg manager Markus Gisdol desperately wants the player to extend his contract with the club: “It is no secret, he is a great talent, and we must keep him with us. He can be a great player.”
Some sources have recently claimed that Chelsea will win the race for his signature but Hamburg boss has squashed any speculation regarding the future of the 17-year-old. Speaking to the Bild, he said: “Some write adventurous things. It’s almost ridiculous sometimes.”
The Bundesliga manager’s comments will come as a welcome boost for both Arsenal and Manchester City. Jann-Fiete Arp has excelled for both club and country and his excellent performances have helped him break into Hamburg’s first team this season. He has made 5 first-team appearances so far and has already scored a goal each in the Bundesliga matches against Hertha Berlin and Stuttgart respectively.
The Gunners have a rich history of giving young players a chance and help them develop into future superstars as in the cases of Cesc Fabregas, Aaron Ramsey and Eduardo da Silva to name a few.
Arsene Wenger is set to lose two of his star players, Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil at the end of the season and so it is now becoming increasingly important for them to build for the future. Jann-Fiete Arp can be their next big star if the Gunners can fend off interest from their competitors and convince Hamburg to part ways with their prized asset.
