Arsenal have set their sights on bringing RB Leipzig's Castello Lukeba to the Premier League this summer.
This is according to a reliable French newspaper TeamWho cover Arsenal's interest in a summer transfer and their stance on the centre-back.
The France international progressed through the ranks of Lyon's academy. He spent two years with the Ligue 1 side's first team before leaving for Leipzig in August 2023.
He soon cemented his place in the Bundesliga team and made regular appearances when available for selection.
The defender has made 95 appearances for Leipzig in all competitions, 23 of which have come this season.
Arsenal official chased Lukeba
Last month, the Gunners sent a scout to Germany to watch Castello Lukeba live in action against Borussia Dortmund. The match ended in a 2–2 draw and the left-footed defender played the full 90 minutes.
It appears that Arsenal officials have gathered positive reports about the Frenchman. This would have convinced Mikel Arteta's side to make the necessary moves to try to bring him to the Emirates in the summer.
L'Equipe's headline suggests the north London club are 'working' on signing Lukeba. The newspaper reports that the Gunners have started discussions. It has not been made clear whether contact was made with his agent in Leipzig or both.
The Frenchman is aiming for a summer exit
As things stand, Arsenal have not submitted any offer to the player or his club.
Lukeba is expected to leave the German club after this season and the Premier League and La Liga are his preferred destinations.
That would delight Arsenal, provided they decide to make a further move to secure his services.
Last year, Sports Witness disseminated claims From France that he has a €90m release clause. The price has been reduced as Leipzig are now expected to collect between €60-70m for Leukeba in the next window. transfer market He is now worth €45 million.
Our Opinion: Lukeba's interest could be a clear sign
Arteta now has William Saliba, Gabriel Magalhaes, Cristian Mosquera and Piero Hincapie as his four centre-backs.
However, the manager has used the Ecuadorian primarily as a left-back rather than in the center of defence.
The interest could be an indication that he would replace Hincapie in the centre-back position. If that happens, the South American will move into the left-back slot.
Christian Norgaard has spoken this week about Mikel Arteta wanting to change his position from a midfielder to a defender, suggesting the manager feels there is a gap there.
L'Équipe is a reliable French newspaper, but it is worth considering where they obtained this information. Castello Luceba was born in Lyon and is represented by BS Group International, which has clients almost exclusively from France.
Given Arsenal's potential need, this could be an attempt to link a client to him. The coming months will reveal what the Gunners' true intentions are.
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✅ Everyone is being taken positively by the midfielder
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💬 Arsenal players explain what happened + their stancehttps://t.co/2WdAhZwNzz #afc- Sports Witness (@Sport_Witness) 10 March 2026
