Arsenal set to fail in signing highly-rated midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai as Red Bull Salzburg star is ‘to join RB Leipzig in January’ in another blow to Mikel Arteta’s season following poor Premier League start
- RB Salzburg’s Dominik Szoboszlai is set to join RB Leipzig in January, say reports
- The Hungarian midfielder is reportedly a target for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal
- Salzburg’s sporting director has reportedly been in Leipzig to finalise the deal
- The 20-year-old midfielder is one of the most highly-rated talents in Europe
Arsenal target Dominik Szoboszlai has opted to join Bundesliga side RB Leipzig in January, according to reports.
The Hungarian, who currently plays for Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, is one of the most highly-rated midfielders in Europe and is believed to have a release clause of £23million.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta is looking for some midfield reinforcements after a poor start to the Premier League season, particularly in front of goal, and wants an attacking midfielder to boost his options in the final third.
Dominik Szoboszlai is set to join RB Leipzig from RB Salzburg, according to reports
The Hungarian midfielder was a target for Mikel Arteta’s (above) Arsenal in the January window
But according to Sky Sports Germany, the 20-year-old is on the verge of joining Julian Nagelsmann’s Leipzig and the deal could be announced over the next fortnight.
The report says Salzburg sporting director Christoph Freund was in Leipzig this week to negotiate the deal for Szoboszlai.
The Hungarian will be the latest in a long line of players to move from Salzburg to Leipzig in recent years, including Dayot Upamecano, Naby Keita, Amadou Haidara and Peter Gulasci.
Szoboszlai (above) is one of the most highly-rated midfielders in Europe and could cost £23m
Szoboszlai, who typically plays as a No 10, is a product of Salzburg’s famed youth academy. Since breaking into the first team in Austria he has scored 25 goals and added 33 assists in 80 games.
He scored 12 goals in 40 appearances in all competitions for Salzburg last season as his side lifted the Austrian Bundesliga. The 20-year-old has begun the current campaign in similar fashion with eight goals and nine assists in his opening 19 matches this term.
Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are also understood to be interested in signing Szoboszlai in January, along with Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
Bayern Munich and Real Madrid have also been linked with the highly-rated 20-year-old (left)
But RB Leipzig’s case for bringing Szoboszlai to the club was boosted by the Bundesliga side qualifying for the Champions League knockout rounds.
Salzburg, meanwhile, exited the competition after finishing third in their group behind Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid, though Szoboszlai scored in each of their first two matches in Group A.
The midfielder has also bene capped 12 times for his country and helped Hungary reach next summer’s European Championship finals earlier this year.
Szoboszlai (right) scored in two Champions League games for Salzburg earlier this season
The move to Leizpig would leave Arsenal looking at other targets as they look to fix their problems up front.
The Gunners have scored just two goals in the last seven Premier League games and as a result they sit down in 15th place.
Arteta currently has Thomas Partey, Granit Xhaka, Dani Ceballos and Mohamed Elneny as midfield options, but youngster Joe Willock, Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson have all impressed in the Europa League.
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