Arsenal scouting Bundesliga forward Nwaneri now plays alongside

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Arsenal's search for attacking reinforcements has taken them to Dortmund, where sporting director Andrea Berta's recruitment team have been running the rule over Maximilian Beier.

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal scouts have been monitoring the 23-year-old German international for roughly 12 months and have come away impressed. The report claims Beier is now firmly on the club's radar as they weigh up future options in the final third.

It follows a summer in which the Gunners ended up without a marquee attacking addition after their pursuit of Julian Alvarez failed to materialise.

What Beier offers

Beier joined Borussia Dortmund from Hoffenheim in 2024 for a fee in the region of €30million, and has since registered 20 goals and 14 assists for the Bundesliga club.

The appeal, per the report, is largely rooted in his versatility. Although he is primarily a central striker, Beier is comfortable operating from either flank or in the pocket behind the main forward — a profile that fits a system in which Mikel Arteta routinely asks his attackers to fill more than one role.

TEAMtalk also report that Arsenal's scouts see stylistic similarities between Beier and Kai Havertz, specifically in their movement, decision-making and ability to find space rather than functioning as a conventional number nine.

The Nwaneri connection

Arsenal already have a standing reason to be watching Dortmund closely this season, with Ethan Nwaneri spending the campaign at the Westfalenstadion on loan.

The club's recruitment department will be tracking the teenager's development week to week, which in practice hands them regular in-person viewings of Beier at the same time.

Arsenal are not alone in their interest, however. TEAMtalk report that Manchester United and Tottenham are also paying attention to the forward, which would set up competition for any deal.

A January question

The context here matters. Arsenal went through the summer window without adding the senior attacking option many expected, leaving Arteta's forward line largely unchanged heading into the campaign.

That has naturally placed more focus on January, and Beier now joins a widening list of attacking names said to be under consideration. Whether the club prioritises a flexible forward of his type or a more orthodox goalscorer remains the central question of their planning.

It is also worth noting that Dortmund are under no pressure to sell. Beier is only two years into his move from Hoffenheim and is still in the early stages of establishing himself as a regular starter in a competitive front line.

TEAMtalk are a mid-tier outlet in transfer reporting terms, so this should be filed as genuine scouting interest rather than an advanced negotiation. Twelve months of monitoring suggests the club know the player well, but that is some distance from a bid.

With Nwaneri's loan running the length of the season, Arsenal's scouts will have no shortage of opportunities to make a final judgement before the January window opens.