Arsenal winger Xavier Amaechi has completed a move to Hamburg after signing a four-year contract with the German second division club.
Hamburg will pay a fee in excess of 2.5m euros (£2.25m), plus several millions in performance-related add-ons, while Arsenal have a sell-on clause, but no buy-back option.
The 18-year-old England youth international, who passed a medical on Saturday before putting pen to paper, will wear the number 17 shirt at the Volksparkstadion.
Amaechi turned down a number of high-profile suitors and an offer to extend his Arsenal deal, which had a year remaining.
He was approached by Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Inter Milan, Nice, Hertha Berlin and Championship sides, as well as late interest from four Premier League teams.
Hamburg were among a dozen German outfits who had been closely monitoring Amaechi since early 2019 and their move for the attacker proved decisive.
The role of their sporting director Michael Mutzl was said to be key as he, manager Dieter Hecking and director of sport Jonas Boldt – all recent appointments – committed to a project that will see Amaechi used as a regular starter on either of the flanks.
Amaechi moved to Arsenal from Fulham in 2013 and is regarded as one of English football’s most promising talents, though he is yet to make a senior appearance.
His 2018-19 campaign was disrupted by injuries, but he did make his debut for the first team in a friendly on their late-season warm-weather trip to Dubai and was also in the Gunners’ travelling party for the Europa League final in Baku.
Hamburg viewed Amaechi as an ideal recruit in their bid for promotion back to the top flight and the player saw them as the perfect place to continue his development.
Having been the only team to play in every Bundesliga season since the league’s formation in 1963, Hamburg were relegated for the first time a year ago.
They finished fourth in 2018-19 but had an average home attendance of almost 50,000.
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COMMENTS
It appears retiring SE stats will have good successors soon after all. This guy should be scouted asap, if good, added to prospects.
– Ajayi Junior
– Lookman (why can’t Rohr convince this guy?)
– Odey
– Okereke
– Iheanacho (if he regains his mojo)
– Osimhen
– Onyekuru etc
Let’s get a new Yekini or Aghahowa (a natural goal poacher).
I agree.Oshimen,Ajayi,Odey,Okereke , Awoniyi , success, are Natural goal poachers of the gAme and the Nff should take them serious. they have played at youth level
What’s next is inspire them to deliver. Let them know that they need to do extra so as to make it to the team. Nff must not play politics or sentiments in selecting the best . because they have done such and it has cost us dearly.
also for the number ten position
Dele Bashiru and kel nnwakali should be looked into. We need a number ten at least 2 or 3 urgently…who have the discipline and knack for finding the best way to pass the ball in creating scoring chances for the team as well as being the match winner for the team.
We need a player in the mould of a zidane , Gerrard in the team who are hungry For Victory
Man dem..Baller Amaechi. If this guy n others agree to switch, Rohr go get bald head for top n under, cos d head ache with selection will be too much.
He is an exciting prospect and I can only pray he agrees to switch nationalities.
Honestly,GR and the NFF need to be more committed and decisive in persuading players of Nigerian descent with dual or more nationalities to commit to representing Nigeria. This will only make the Super Eagles thicker.