Premier League clubs may have to wait until the summer to get their chance to sign Igor Matanovic, with SC Freiburg under no pressure to sell.
According to a report by Football Insider, SC Freiburg are not planning to entertain offers for Igor Matanovic ahead of the January transfer window. The Bundesliga outfit are under no pressure to sell the striker in the winter market, so interested clubs such as Manchester United and Arsenal may have to wait until summer for their chance to sign the Croatian forward.
Igor Matanovic has made a huge impact at SC Freiburg since arriving from Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer of 2025. In his first season at the club, the 23-year-old striker scored 15 times across all competitions, and he has only improved further at the start of the new campaign.
The Croat has six goals in seven games so far for Freiburg this season, while his overall goal contribution stands at nine. He is seen as one of Germany’s most in-form attackers, and to a degree in Europe as well, which has attracted plenty of high-profile interest from Premier League clubs.
Valuation and strategic positioning
Arsenal and Manchester United are reportedly interested in the Croat, with both clubs looking to add attacking reinforcements ahead of January. Freiburg are not under immediate financial pressure to offload players ahead of January, especially after selling Johan Manzambi to Aston Villa in the summer, and are not even considering selling Matanovic despite the interest building in the background.
They are already valuing Matanovic in the region of £50 million or more, according to reports. The Croatian striker’s performances are expected to continue between now and next summer, which could allow Freiburg to demand significantly more.
Waiting game for Premier League clubs
Manchester United, reportedly interested since earlier in the year, are likely to monitor Matanovic’s progress but will not be able to push for a January deal. The Red Devils want a new centre-forward to compete with Benjamin Sesko and possibly replace Joshua Zirkzee, so they are likely to keep monitoring the Freiburg star.
Arsenal are reportedly looking for a new winger heading into the January market, and they had already been exploring striker options since the summer window. Reports have mentioned ambitious targets like Erling Haaland, but Matanovic represents a more realistic option.
