Arsenal £53m defensive target a no-go as Leipzig plot key clause removal
Arsenal look set to miss out once more on highly-rated RB Leipzig centre-back Dayot Upamecano, after a report in the German media claimed the Bundesliga outfit wish to remove his release clause with all haste.
Unai Emery made signing a centre-half a top priority this past summer following the departure of long-time servant Laurent Koscielny back to his native France.
The Gunners reportedly made a strong £53m (€60m) bid for the 20-year-old rising superstar, but the bid was met with short shrift from the emerging Bundesliga powerhouse.
The men from the Emirates eventually had to settle for a cut-price deal for aging Brazilian David Luiz, with his performances so far inspiring little confidence that he is the answer.
18-year-old William Saliba did put pen to paper for the Gunners, but the promising Frenchman is viewed as a longer term prospect as evidenced by his immediate loan back to Ligue 1 side Saint-Etienne.
Now a report by German publication Sport Bild (via The Metro) claims that Leipzig aim to remove the release clause from Upamecano’s contract while attempting to convince the promising defender to sign a new contract – thereby dampening Arsenal’s hopes that a move could still be thrashed out.
The article states: “Sport Bild claim Leipzig are working to remove that release clause and sign Upamecano up to a new deal.”
“Upamecano has an £89m release clause in his contract, but that figure will drop to £71m next [year].
“Upamecano’s current contract does not expire until 2021 and Leipzig want to agree fresh terms with him as soon as possible.”
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