Manchester United and Arsenal are in battle to sign Eintracht Frankfurt’s left-back Nathaniel Brown, according to TEAMtalk.
Brown rose through the youth system at FC Nuremberg and really started to stand out once he broke into their senior side in the German second tier.
His performances there caught the eye of Frankfurt’s sporting director, Markus Krosche, who moved quickly to bring him in at a reported meagre fee.
Since making the switch to Deutsche Bank Park, he has been outstanding for the club over the past 18 months. The 22-year-old has played 48 games, producing 14 goal contributions and becoming one of the key figures in their squad.
His rise has also earned him a place in the German national team, where he has already made two appearances.
It appears Brown’s performances have not gone unnoticed, as TEAMtalk claims that several Premier League clubs are closely monitoring the versatile fullback in Germany.
Among the clubs to express interest in a move for the Germany international are Man Utd and Arsenal, who are now keeping close tabs on him ahead of a potential move to England in 2026, according to the report.
The report adds that Brown has a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ in his contract that allows specific European clubs to trigger it, despite the youngster extending his contract at the club until 2030.
Depth
While the precise amount in the clause has not been revealed, TEAMtalk suggests any potential deal would cost up to £44m for Frankfurt to consider selling Brown, who is also of keen interest to Manchester City and Newcastle United.
Ruben Amorim’s system depends heavily on having the right profile at left wing-back, so the situation on that side of the pitch is something he’ll be monitoring closely.
Patrick Dorgu offers plenty of promise in the wing-back role, bringing solidity and attacking output, while Diogo Dalot’s ability to switch between both flanks gives the squad some flexibility.
Even so, Luke Shaw’s tendency to miss stretches of the season due to niggling injuries means United may have to consider further reinforcement if they want to avoid being short in a key area.
Brown’s form this season has shown he is capable of stepping into that role, strengthening Amorim’s defensive options and creating a healthy competition with Dorgu if United trumps competition from Arsenal to sign him.
The Gunners appear well stocked in defence after investing heavily on the likes of Piero Hincapie and Christhian Mosquera last summer. However, it seems Mikel Arteta still wants further reinforcements with Brown on Arsenal’s wish-list.
