Mikel Arteta is convinced of the arrival of an outstanding Feyenoord pla…

Arsenal are preparing for a busy transfer summer and have set their sights on Feyenoord right-back Givairo Read.

The 18-year-old defender is considered a great talent and has made his mark in the Eredivisie and the Champions League this season.

The Londoners see him as an interesting option to strengthen the defensive depth in Mikel Arteta’s squad – but Arsenal are not the only club with an interest in the exciting teenager.

The Gunners seemed Liverpool’s only rival for the Premier League title for a long time, but injuries this season have revealed that squad depth is still a sticking point. While Arteta has a balanced squad at first glance, it became clear that the absence of several key players had a direct impact on performance. This was particularly evident in the back line, with long-term injuries to Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber, among others.

With a view to the coming season, strengthening the defence is a priority. According to the English media, Read is one of the options that Arsenal are considering. The youngster has become a permanent fixture at Feyenoord in a short time and seems to have all the qualities to to storm to the top of the game in the long term.

Read’s Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) is currently estimated at around €5.9 million, but given his long contract until mid-2029, Feyenoord are expected to put a hefty price tag on him.

Arsenal face competition from Spain

Arsenal are not the only club with interest. Barcelona and Real Madrid are also said to have the right back in their sights. According to Spanish media, Barcelona, in particular, seem to be showing serious interest, while Los Blancos will only focus on a possible transfer once the arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold is official.

Attracting young talent for relatively low fees seems to be an increasingly important aspect of Arsenal’s transfer policy. Where Chelsea previously applied this strategy by signing young players, such as Malo Gusto and Andrey Santos, the Gunners now seem to want to adopt this approach as well. This should prevent the club from having to pay huge amounts of money for established names time and again.

While Read is not expected to be an immediate starter for Arsenal, he could play a significant role in the long term. With Tomiyasu out, and Oleksandr Zinchenko and Jakub Kiwior potentially on their way out, it is likely that Arsenal will make serious efforts to add an extra right-back in the coming months.