Arsenal ‘eye Dominik Szoboszlai’ and hope to steal a march on Real Madrid and AC Milan for RB Salzburg youngster but ‘wish to pay £22.5m release clause in THREE instalments’
- Elite European clubs are eagerly monitoring RB Salzburg’s Dominik Szoboszlai
- The Hungarian burst onto the scene in impressive fashion in the past 18 months
- Szoboszlai has a £22.5m release but Arsenal wish to pay this over three years
- Salzburg boss Jesse Marsch has admitted he sees the player leaving in January
Arsenal have entered the race for RB Salzburg prodigy Dominik Szoboszlai, as a host of elite European clubs continue to monitor the 20-year-old.
The Hungarian wonderkid has burst onto the scene within the past 18 months and is turning heads in the Austrian top flight with a string of impressive performances.
Szoboszlai is the latest product of the famed Salzburg talent line, and has a modest £22.5million release clause written into his contract.
Arsenal have reportedly entered the race for RB Salzburg prodigy Dominik Szoboszlai
Mikel Arteta is said to be a big admirer of the rapidly emerging Hungarian wonderkid
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is reportedly a big admirer of the player and is said to have asked the board to sanction a move.
But the Gunners are hopeful they can trigger Szoboszlai’s release but pay the fee to Salzburg over three years, according to the Mirror.
So far this season the youngster, who only turned 20 in October, has scored five goals and registered nine assists in 13 appearances in all competitions.
Real Madrid and AC Milan are keenly monitoring as a result, while German giants Bayern Munich are also said to be expressing serious interest.
Szoboszlai recently became a national hero when scoring a stoppage time winner vs Iceland
Szoboszlai is already an established international with the Hungarian national team, and recently scored a stunning solo stoppage-time winner against Iceland to send his country to the European Championships, in turn intensifying interest in his talents.
Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus has already drawn comparisons between Szoboszlai and Hungarian great Ferenc Puskas.
When asked which players were most valuable to Hungary, he told Abendzeitung Muenchen: ‘There is Dominik Szoboszlai, who scored the decisive goal against Iceland. He’s a gem, a guy like Kai Havertz.
‘In Hungary he is already being compared to the great Ferenc Puskas.
Salzburg coach Jesse Marsch has also gone as far as to admit he finds it difficult to see the wonderkid remaining at the club past January, given the rapidly increasing interest.
Salzburg boss Jesse Marsch (right) admits it will be hard to keep his starlet past January
Marsch told the Futbol with Grant Wahl podcast: ‘He’s an incredible talent, and I say this: When you coach young players, you have to love them and love the fact that they’re going to move on and love that they’re going to have big opportunities to prove themselves and show how good they are.
‘If you’re only worried about how it affects your success, then you’re not really going to ever be effective at coaching and leading young people
‘So let’s see what happens, but I would be surprised if he winds up staying past winter. We play with teenagers, and of course when they do well a lot of clubs get really excited.’
