Arsenal 'join race for Eintracht Frankfurt's Jesper Lindstrom'

The 22-year-old rose through the youth ranks at Brondby before heading for Frankfurt in 2021, and he won the Europa League in his first season with Die Adler.

Lindstrom ended his first season at the Deutsche Bank Park with five goals and nine assists from 39 appearances in all competitions, including an assist against Barcelona in the Europa League.

The Denmark international proceeded to play 70 minutes against Rangers in the final, and he has started the 2022-23 season with three goals from 10 games, including the winner against Marseille in the Champions League.

Lindstrom is under contract at Frankfurt until the end of the 2025-26 season, but multiple top clubs across Europe are reportedly queuing up to sign him.

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Arsenal are among the clubs interested in a deal for Lindstrom, but the Gunners are facing stiff competition from six other teams.

Premier League rivals Manchester City are also reported to be keeping tabs on the Dane, as are Serie A trio AC Milan, Juventus and Roma.

Elsewhere, German champions Bayern Munich and Barcelona are supposedly ready to battle for the signature of Lindstrom, who has five caps to his name for the Danish national team.

Arsenal are already well-stocked in the number 10 position, with Martin Odegaard and Fabio Vieira currently competing for minutes, and Emile Smith Rowe is also capable of featuring in that role.

However, Mikel Arteta is without an abundance of options for his double pivot, with Granit Xhaka and Albert Sambi Lokonga being forced to do it on their own in recent weeks.

Mohamed Elneny is expected to be sidelined until 2023 with a hamstring injury, while Thomas Partey is pushing to return from a thigh injury for Sunday's clash with Brentford.

Partey has consistently struggled to stay fit since arriving from Atletico Madrid, though, and Arsenal unsuccessfully tried to add to their midfield ranks on deadline day.

After a move for Leicester City's Youri Tielemans did not materialise, Arsenal supposedly failed with three bids for Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz, the highest of which was in the region of £25m.

The Gunners are now said to be exploring the free agent market, and they have reportedly been offered the chance to sign ex-Lille man Xeka, who left the French club in the summer.