North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham are reportedly set to battle it out for the signing of RB Leipzig star Marcel Sabitzer in the summer transfer window.
As per a report from Italian publication Calciomercato, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur have identified RB Leipzig midfield mainstay Marcel Sabitzer as a potential transfer target ahead of the summer transfer window.
Sabitzer, 25, was signed by Leipzig in the summer of 2014, following which he spent a year away on loan at sister club RB Salzburg. The Austrian international has gone on to feature 179 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit, scoring 42 goals and setting up 32 more, playing an important role in Leipzig’s rise in stature in Germany.
Sabitzer is enjoying a fine 2019-20 campaign, having come up with a return of 15 goals and 8 assists from 35 matches across all competitions, helping Leipzig’s Bundesliga title charge as well as their progression to the quarter-finals of the UEFA Champions League.
In fact, the 25-year-old grabbed a brace in the Round of 16 second leg tie against Tottenham on Tuesday night to oust the North Londoners from Europe’s premier competition. Naturally, his performances in the domestic and continental competitions have caught the eye of both Arsenal and Tottenham.
? The Man of the Match ?#RBLSPURS #Sabitzer pic.twitter.com/tZMH2lk5UT
— RB Leipzig (@DieRotenBullen) March 10, 2020
Arsenal are in the market to strengthen their squad ahead of the next season as Mikel Arteta looks to build a team capable of pushing for a top-four finish. Given Mesut Ozil’s inconsistencies and uncertainty surrounding the possibility of signing Dani Ceballos permanently, bringing a new midfielder would make sense for the Gunners.
While they have been linked with Turkish youngster Orkun Kokcu, a more established and experienced midfielder in the form of Sabitzer would be a more viable target for Arsenal. Moreover, the Austrian’s versatility and his leadership capabilities would also be an added bonus for the Gunners.
Tottenham, too, are on the lookout for midfield reinforcements after having lost Christian Eriksen in the January transfer window. Giovani Lo Celso’s transfer was made permanent to fill that void, but with Jose Mourinho clearly not impressed with record signing Tanguy Ndombele, he might look to bring in a new face in the summer.
And having seen Sabitzer’s capabilities first-hand over their two-legged affair in the Champions League, Mourinho and Tottenham have been left so much impressed that they want to sign him ahead of the next season.
Sabitzer is contracted with Leipzig till the summer of 2022. A potential transfer to Arsenal or Tottenham is sure to appeal to the 25-year-old, but both the North London giants are staring at the possibility of missing out on Champions League football next season, which could prove to be a dampener.
