Arsenal ‘Plan To Sign’ Top German Talent As Per Mertesacker Holds Meetings | OneFootball

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Arsenal academy director Per Mertesacker has held meetings as the Gunners ‘plan to sign’ a top German talent when he turns 16 years old next year.

Mikel Arteta’s men are alive to opportunities to add top youngsters to their youth set-up and have spotted one in Mertesacker’s native Germany.

Arsenal are interested in Kaiserslautern youngster Max Gordon, who is rated as one of Germany’s top Under-15s players.

According to German journalist Dominik Schneider, Mertesacker has held meetings with the player’s camp as he looks to take him to London.

Arsenal are convinced about Gordon’s quality and ‘plan to sign him’ as soon as he turns 16 years old in January.

However, Arsenal are not alone in having spotted just how promising a player Gordon is.

Dutch giants Ajax, renowned for their youth set-up, are also chasing the Kaiserslautern talent and want to win the race.

Gordon, 15, is a young central defender and is rated hugely highly within Germany, with great hopes attached to his development.

Kaiserslautern will be reluctant to lose him, but look up against it with Arsenal and Ajax both in the picture.

The German side will hope that they can sway Gordon towards continuing his development in Germany for the moment.

Kaiserslautern currently play their football in the German second tier and, heading into the final day of the season today, are still in with a chance of winning promotion up to the Bundesliga.

It is possible the club could try to convince Gordon there is a smoother path to the first team if he stays put.