Arsenal target surprise signing of €80m star

Robin Bairner

• 11 Feb 2026 08:30 CST
• 3 min read

Nieuws

Arsenal are interested in RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba, who is almost certain to be on the move this summer.

The Frenchman has been playing in the Bundesliga since replacing Josko Gvardiol at Leipzig in 2023. Lukeba, who was already highly rated before moving to Germany, has established himself as a very good defender.

The 23-year-old has been of the opinion that he is ready for the next step in his career for some time. Already last season, Lukeba intended to depart Leipzig, but the Saxon side refused to sell him.

It came after Leipzig had managed to agree a new contract with the centre-back as part of which they pushed his €80 million release clause back to 2026. This clause means that Leipzig will be powerless to stop Lukeba from leaving in the summer.

While it remains to be seen if any suitor would be willing to pay that much for him, Leipzig are unlikely to stand in Lukeba's way if a suitable offer for a fee below his clause arrives. It has previously been posited that he could be sold for around €50m-€60m.

Arsenal interested in Lukeba

BILD now covers the situation of Lukeba and Leipzig in general. The Red Bulls have been in inconsistent form for a few months now, which could have major financial implications.

Leipzig currently sit fourth in the Bundesliga, but VfB Stuttgart and Bayer Leverkusen are in close pursuit. Failure to qualify for the Champions League for the second season running - Leipzig aren't in Europe at all this term - would necessitate several big sales in the summer.

Lukeba, who is likely to leave regardless of the outcome of this season, is the main candidate to raise major funds. The German outlet claims that Arsenal and Aston Villa are interested in the Frenchman.

This is quite surprising given that Arsenal are well-stocked in the centre-back department with William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Cristhian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie, while Ben White and Jurrien Timber can also play centrally.

The thinking is perhaps that the Gunners may have to replace at least one of these defenders. Gabriel, for example, is a long-standing Saudi target, while White has been linked with an exit after falling down the pecking order.

Arsenal could have to make a couple of big sales this summer to avoid breaching UEFA's Squad Cost Ratio rule, so it is perhaps not far-fetched to suggest that there could be significant churn at the Emirates in the next window.

The North London giants will surely be keeping a close eye on the situation at Leipzig. In addition to Lukeba, the likes of Yan Diomande, David Raum and Antonio Nusa could be sold if the Red Bulls fail to qualify for the Champions League.

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