The transfer window may have slammed shut but the rumour mill continues to whir quietly in the background, with Arsenal and Manchester United the latest clubs to be linked with the highly-rated Arnie Maier.
According to Sport Bild via The Sun, Arsenal and Manchester United are intensively scouting the Hertha Berlin midfielder and could be ready to battle it out with Barcelona for the signature of one of Germany's hottest prospects.
The defensive midfielder has been likened to Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos thanks to his range of passing from deep and there is no shortage of suitors for a player who only signed a new contract with Hertha in February.
The 19-year-old is contracted with the club until 2022 but the Bundesliga side face a battle to keep hold of a player who has made 26 appearances for their first team so far.
Maier has been an ever-present member of the Hertha Berlin team during their unbeaten start to the current season, making one appearance in the DFB Pokal and playing all three league games, with Hertha taking seven points to sit in fourth place in the league table.
The German Under-21 player is seen as one for the future but he might be pushing for a regular starting place in the Arsenal midfield if he were to move to The Emirates. The Gunners could lose Aaron Ramsey as talks over his future continue to plod along at a slow place, while Granit Xhaka has struggled to impress the Arsenal fans. The addition of Maier would offer welcome competition for places and he would be battling with the likes of Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi for a starting berth.
Maier is the latest in a line of Hertha players to be linked with a move to the Premier League after full-back Marvin Plattenhardt and striker Davie Selke were linked with moves to Fulham and West Ham respectively in the summer.
