Berlin (AFP) – English Under-17 world champion Emile Smith-Rowe is poised to become the latest UK teenager to play in the Bundesliga, with RB Leipzig reportedly set to sign the 18-year-old on loan on Thursday.
Germany’s top-selling daily Bild and magazine Kicker reported that Arsenal’s Smith-Rowe is in Leipzig for a medical with the transfer window to close at 1700GMT on Thursday.
The midfielder has some first-team experience with the Gunners this season having played in four of their Europa League group-stage matches, scoring in both the 3-0 wins at Azerbaijan side Qarabag and Ukrainians Vorskla Poltava.
If the deal goes through, Smith-Rowe will be the fourth British teenager currently at a Bundesliga club after Schalke 04 reportedly paid Manchester City nine million euros ($10.275m) for Welsh winger Rabbi Matondo, 18, on Wednesday.
Alongside Smith-Rowe and Matondo, Jadon Sancho has been impressing for league leaders Borussia Dortmund since signing from Manchester City in August 2017, while England Under-21 midfielder Reiss Nelson is also on loan from Arsenal at Hoffenheim until the end of the season.
