Arsenal made an enquiry with Stade Rennais over 18-year-old youth forward Georginio Rutter this summer, along with a number of other clubs.

BELGRADE, SERBIA - APRIL 01: Georginio Rutter (R) of France in action against Filip Szetei (L) of Slovakia during the Elite Round Group B match between France U17 and Slovakia U17 at Stadium Zemun on April 1, 2019 in Belgrade, Serbia. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)
BELGRADE, SERBIA: Georginio Rutter (R) of France in action against Filip Szetei (L) of Slovakia on April 1, 2019. (Photo by Srdjan Stevanovic/Getty Images)

L’Equipe (via GFFN) report that Arsenal were one of the clubs to place an enquiry with Stade Rennais over Georginio Rutter this summer.

There are plenty of other clubs in the race for the teenager as things stand. Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, AC Milan and Newcastle all join Arsenal in their pursuit of the France u18 international.

Rutter only has 12 months left on his contract, which is part of what’s driving the interest. As things stand, he wants assurances that he’ll get game time with Rennes before he’ll extend.

With the way the transfer window is shaping up, it’s getting less and less surprising to see Arsenal looking at youth centre-forward signings.

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Tyreece John-Jules is closing in on a loan move away. Folarin Balogun is likely to leave permanently, as Alfie Matthews and Sam Greenwood already have.

That leaves Luke Plange – a backup for the u18s last season – as the most senior centre-forward in the academy. If John-Jules and Balogun do leave, Arsenal may well look to bring in a new u23 striker.

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