Arsenal keen on £70m Frankfurt talent amid injury crisis

Soccer Football – UEFA Champions League – Arsenal Training – Arsenal Training Centre, London Colney, Britain – November 3, 2025 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta during training Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers

Arsenal are interested in Frankfurt forward Jean-Matteo Bahoya. The 20-year-old joined Frankfurt in the summer of 2024 from French club Angers and impressed during his debut season last term.

Bahoya featured 33 times across all competitions, mainly as a substitute, contributing seven goals contributions. He started this season in flying fashion, scoring a brace against Werder Bremen but has since had to settle for a bit part role.

He has grown increasingly frustrated with his lack of first team involvement, and German publication Sport1 has reported that a move away from the club could be on the cards. Arsenal are among the teams showing interest in the player and are reportedly open to paying the £70m asking price.

The France U-21 international is viewed as a promising talent despite primarily being used as a squad player for Frankfurt. The player was linked heavily with a move to Saudi Arabia in the summer, but he opted to stay in Europe to further his development.

Bahoya can play anywhere along the front line but has been used mainly as striker. Frankfurt top goal scorer Jonathan Burkardt has grabbed hold of the striker position, while new signing Ritsu Doan has established himself as first choice right winger.

That leaves Bahoya to mainly compete with Ansgar Knauff on the left for a place in the starting XI or settle for a cameo off the bench behind any of the aforementioned three. He is understood to be happy at Frankfurt but open to new opportunities at first team football.

With his contract not expiring until 2029, Frankfurt hold a strong position and are under no pressure to sell. Frankfurt hope to use Omar Marmoush’s €75m move to Manchester City and Hugo Ekitike’s €95m move to Liverpool as benchmarks for any future deal.

Arsenal are reportedly open to attacking reinforcements despite adding Eberechi Eze, Viktor Gyokeres, and Noni Madueke this summer. The left wing remains a talking point amongst fans and pundits alike, with Gabriel Martinelli suffering a dip in form.

The Brazilian could be moved on if the right offer arrives. Leandro Trossard has seen the lion share of minutes in left wing for Arsenal this season, but his long term future at the club remains uncertain as well.

In August he signed a new deal Arsenal that increased his salary but did not extend length of the deal which ends in 2027.

Nadji is a football writer with over 10 years of experience covering the Premier League. His work has been featured on Football Fancast, Arsenal-Mania, and Arsenal.com, where he has built a reputation for delivering sharp analysis, engaging storytelling, and in-depth coverage of the game.