Premier League Giants To Battle For Frankfurt Fullbacks

Arsenal and Liverpool have emerged as headline suitors in what is shaping up to be a summer scramble for Eintracht Frankfurt’s dynamic defensive duo, Nnamdi Collins and Nathaniel Brown, TEAMtalk can reveal. The 22-year-old Collins, capped last August by Germany, has rocketed onto the radars of England’s top tier after swapping Borussia Dortmund’s academy for the Bundesliga in 2023 and nailing down a starting role. His ability to shift seamlessly between right-back and centre-back has drawn direct comparisons to Arsenal’s Ben White, with the Gunners viewing the Nigerian-born defender as an ideal blend of recovery pace, physicality and positional intelligence.

Liverpool are equally attentive, but the queue does not end there. Manchester City, Newcastle United, Brighton and Brentford have all registered sustained interest, aware that elite, versatile defenders are in perilously short supply and that Collins’ contract—locked to 2030—hands Frankfurt the leverage to demand premium fees.

While Collins dominates headlines, fellow full-back Nathaniel Brown is generating a Manchester-centric tug of war. United and City have reportedly ramped up scouting missions during Frankfurt’s Champions League nights, with Old Trafford officials increasing their presence in recent weeks. Brown’s athletic profile and tactical flexibility align with the data-driven recruitment models now championed by Premier League powerhouses, clubs that increasingly prioritise multi-phase contributors over traditional, one-dimensional full-backs.

For Arsenal, the attraction is obvious. Uncertainty over White’s long-term role has accelerated succession planning, and although Sporting CP’s Ivan Fresneda remains a monitored alternative, Collins’ Bundesliga baptism and senior international recognition could give him the decisive edge. Yet questions linger: would a player without Premier League minutes adapt quickly enough to a squad now measured against title-winning standards, and would funds be better allocated to a midfield rebuild?

Frankfurt, for their part, face a delicate balancing act. Losing one starter would force a tactical tweak; losing both would necessitate a back-line overhaul. English clubs, emboldened by unrivalled financial muscle and strategic urgency, are circling. Whether the German outfit resist or cash in may hinge on timing, valuation and the scale of their own ambition.

What remains undisputed is Collins’ trajectory: from quiet Dortmund graduate to genuine Premier League target inside 18 months. The next chapter promises high-stakes negotiations, soaring price tags and, potentially, a reshaped defensive landscape for both Frankfurt and whichever English giant lands its man.