Sport Bild are reporting Arsenal’s interest in VfB Stuttgart and Germany U19 defender Timo Baumgartl.
The highly-rated teenager started the season in Germany’s third division with Stuttgart’s second team, but has impressed in the Bundesliga since injuries afforded him an opportunity for first team football.
Baumgartl, 18, has started Stuttgart’s last six Bundesliga games, including each game since Huub Stevens was appointed manager in late November.
However, Bild aren’t the most reliable source and Stuttgart are already facing a backlash for showing little resistance to Bayern Munich’s signing of Joshua Kimmich.
Arsenal are well known to be in the hunt for a centreback and reports on who that target is likely to be is changing on a daily, sometimes hourly basis.
Right now a deal for Baumgartl seems really unlikely, but it is at least promising to see the club linked with another talented central defender and with one addition already in this window, Arsenal fans can at least be assured that Kim Kallstrom-esque signing won’t be our only consolation this year.