Transfer Centre

RB Leipzig 'tell Arsenal Dayot Upamecano is not for sale'

By Barney Corkhill, Editor | 07 August 2019

Leipzig 'tell Arsenal Upamecano is not for sale'

RB Leipzig reportedly tell Arsenal that they will need to pay the full £92m release clause of Dayot Upamecano if they are to prise the centre-back away this summer.

RB Leipzig have reportedly told Arsenal that they will need to trigger Dayot Upamecano's £92m release clause if they are to prise the defender away this summer.

The Gunners are searching for a new centre-back before Thursday's transfer deadline, having seen club captain Laurent Koscielny complete his move to Bordeaux on Tuesday.

Daniele Rugani of Juventus is understood to be Unai Emery's first-choice replacement, but Arsenal have also reportedly registered an interest in France Under-21 international Upamecano.

The Londoners are thought to have already seen a £55m bid rejected for the 20-year-old, and The Mirror claims that Leipzig have now told the Gunners that they will not consider selling for anything less than his full £92m release clause.

Upamecano, whose contract expires in 2021, has previously been linked with a move to Barcelona having impressed since breaking into Leipzig's first team.

Arsenal's only defensive signing so far this summer has been William Saliba, who was immediately sent back out on loan to Saint-Etienne.