Premier League giants Arsenal and Liverpool have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Jesper Lindstrom with his Eintracht Frankfurt replacement on the move.
That is according to Wolfsburg’s official website, anyway. The Bundesliga outfit confirmed on Tuesday that Omar Marmoush will leave the VFL Arena when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign.
“Both sides exchanged their ideas in open and honest discussions,” says sporting director Sebastian Schindzielorz.
“No agreement could be reached during these talks. We would like to thank him for his commitment in the VfL jersey and wish Omar all the best for his future career.”
His ‘future’, meanwhile, appears to lie some four hours north. BILD believe that Marmoush has already passed a medical at Europa League holders Eintracht Frankfurt. Oliver Glasner’s side are yet to confirm that Marmoush will be an Eagle in time for 2023/24 but all the signs point to the Egypt international stretching his wings at the Commerzbank Arena.
Will Liverpool fan Jesper Lindstrom sign for Arsenal?
Marmoush’s arrival will offset the departure of Daichi Kamada; also a free-agent in July. Stylistically speaking, however, Marmoush has more in common with the skilful Danish attacker who has been attracting admiring glances from the Premier League over the last eight months or so.
Arsenal have held initial talks, with Frankfurt willing to consider offers in the region of £25 million (Sport1). Mikel Arteta’s league leaders are prioritising an attacking midfielder this summer. Lindstrom is more affordable than Gabri Veiga and more attainable than Julian Brandt.
Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg believes that Liverpool are also ‘in contact’ with Frankfurt. With nine goals and four assists this term, Lindstrom would add some thrust and pace to an ageing, one-note Liverpool engine room.
“Jesper is very young and came from a different league. The Bundesliga is a tougher league than the Danish league. You have to get used to it,” team-mate Kevin Trapp said of the 23-year-old after he scored with a gorgeous chip against Bayer Leverkusen in October.
“Jesper has already made significant steps forward. You can see that he’s an outstanding footballer and has very good technique.”
“I like to play up front but can also play on the wings,” explains Lindstrom. “I have a strong shot from distance. And I like to link up play in the penalty area.”
Lindstrom first caught Arsenal’s eye at Brondby before moving to Germany in the summer of 2021. Perhaps the biggest obstacle standing in Arteta’s way, however, is not Lindstrom’s price-tag or his desire for first-team football but his admiration for another of the Premier League’s big-hitters.
“I’m a Liverpool man,” Lindstrom said with a chuckle last year.
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