Arsenal are potentially looking at a quick transfer for young Hertha BSC centre-back Omar Rekik, adding him to their u23 ranks.

Omar Rekik with Hertha BSC (Photo via Rekik on Instagram)
Omar Rekik with Hertha BSC (Photo via Rekik on Instagram)

Kicker report that with Karim Rekik leaving Hertha for Sevilla, his younger brother Omar could be on the way to Arsenal. They claim the 18-year-old is busy with a quick transfer, as the Gunners make a request to sign him.

Rekik wouldn’t be a first-team signing, to be clear. He was playing for Hertha BSC II (their B team) this season, though he did make the bench for the first team a few times in June. Kicker write that Arsenal are planning the signing for their own u23 team.

The player’s family want him to move to England, where his older brother Karim previously played for Manchester City. Karim only made three appearances for City, though, also spending time on a couple of loans with Portsmouth and Blackburn Rovers.

The Arsenal u23s were already pretty set at the back, but there have been some departures this summer. They released Tobi Omole as a free agent, before loaning Mark McGuinness and Zech Medley.

Daniel Ballard may also be on the verge of a loan, and he missed the u23 match against Chelsea on Sunday. Konstantinos Mavropanos went on loan again, after making quite a few u23 appearances in the first half of last season.

So a signing wouldn’t leave them overstocked, by any means. It’s just more likely this would be a transfer based on an admiration for the talent of the player, rather than filling a spot.

The move may have a knock-on effect as well. If the Rekik brothers both leave for a fee, that could allow Hertha to sign Wendell from Leverkusen. In turn, Leverkusen would be free to sign Sead Kolasinac.