Boost for Arsenal? Bayern could drop out of race for £69m defender | OneFootball

Bayern Munich could drop out of the race for RB Leipzig defender Castello Lukeba, which should come as a boost for Arsenal.

Lukeba is expected to be in high demand in the summer transfer window, with several clubs – including the Gunners and Manchester United – keen to secure his signature.

Max Eberl knows the defender well from his time at RB Leipzig, but Bayern could face difficulties completing a deal.

Advantage Arsenal in the race for Castello Lukeba?

Christian Falk has told CFBayern that while Bayern are interested in Lukeba, the overall package makes the deal complicated.

Bayern already have Dayot Upamecano and Jonathan Tah as regular starters, while Kim Min-jae and Hiroki Ito provide further depth – making it unlikely that Lukeba would accept a secondary role.

The defender reportedly has a £69m release clause in his contract, although Leipzig could be open to offers closer to £52m.

Falk explained: “It is TRUE: Castello Lukeba is on the radar at Bayern Munich. There’s a connection with Max Eberl, who previously worked at RB Leipzig.

“He knows the player, as does Christoph Freund (who worked for Red Bull as well). However, he is expensive. You would make this deal in the event you had to replace Jonathan Tah or Dayot Upamecano, but at the moment, they have these two defenders, and he wouldn’t want to be a backup option. So, at the moment, this deal isn’t hot.”

Why Arsenal have a strong chance to sign Castello Lukeba

Arsenal have already begun laying the groundwork for a potential move, holding initial discussions with Lukeba’s representatives, although no formal bid has been submitted yet.

Their interest is long-standing – as reported by L’Equipe last month – with the club closely tracking his development and viewing him as a high-upside defensive addition.

Club scouts have also carried out recent checks, including attending Leipzig’s 2-2 draw against Borussia Dortmund, where Lukeba’s performance further reinforced their interest.

While Arsenal already possess strong defensive depth, Mikel Arteta is still keen to add another top-level centre-back to compete alongside William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, which places Lukeba firmly among their priority targets.