RB Leipzig center-back Dayot Upamecano has reportedly sought to leave the club as he hands in a transfer request with several clubs looking to sign the U-21 French international.

This transfer news has come at a time which Premier League side, Arsenal, has been on the radar of the center-half since the January transfer window, and it looks likely that Leipzig could cash in on their star player whose price tag is set at a reported fee of £55m.

The north London outfit has courted Upamecano since the reigns of Unai Emery as their manager, and it seems the pursuit wouldn’t end as the gunner’s new manager Mikel Arteta appears to be highly interested in the player.

However, Leipzig must be forced to sell if they don’t want to risk losing him on a free next summer as his contracts wind-up in 2021. Reports in Germany have said the player is seeking to ply his trade elsewhere and do n’t want to stay beyond the summer of 2020

This has put the Leipzig hierarchy in a quick search for an urgent and quality replacement for the player who intends to leave.

His release clause is quoted around £55.5m [€60m] which Leipzig is determined to recover though it was as high as £72million but will drastically reduce to £17million by the end of the summer.

Upamecano remains an integral part of Julian Nagelsmann’s squad making 29 appearances as he helped his side in the pursuit of the  Bundesliga title and recently qualified his team for the quarter-finals of the Champions League as they eliminated Tottenham.

Other interested clubs are Tottenham, Bayern, and Barcelona, who have previously established intent of purchasing the defender.

Written by:  Olumide Akinnifesi