18-year-old winger Xavier Amaechi has left Arsenal to join Hamburg on a four-year deal.
The German club will pay around £2.25m for the youngster, and the fee could rise depending on performance-related add-ons.
Amaechi attracted interest from a whole host of top European clubs, such as Barcelona and Bayern Munich, as well as some unnamed Championship sides, before deciding on Hamburg, perhaps being inspired by the success of Jadon Sancho at Borussia Dortmund.
It is thought that Hamburg’s sporting director Muchael Mutzl and manager Dieter Hecking have promised Amaechi first-team football from the start, with Hamburg competing in the second division of Germany.
(Image: Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
The news may come as a blow to some Gunners fans, with Amaechi generally regarded as one of the brightest young talents in English football.
He has yet to make a competitive senior appearance but has been involved with the first-team at Arsenal , travelling with the squad to last season’s Europa League final in Baku.
He will be following in the footsteps of both Sancho and Arsenal duo Reiss Nelson and Emile Smith Rowe, all of whom have gone to Germany in the pursuit of first-team football, with Nelson going out on loan last season to Hoffenheim and Smith Rowe to RB Leipzig.
If Amaechi can make anyway near the impression Sancho has in the country he will consider the move a success.
(Image: PA)
Sancho left Manchester City to sign for Dortmund at the age of just 17, but immediately became a start in the Bundesliga. Last season he scored 13 goals in 43 appearances in all competitions and also won six caps for England.
Nelson has also been something of a hit at Hoffenheim, becoming a permanent fixture in the first-team and finding the net on seven occasions last season, but Smith Rowe struggled with injuries during him time at Leipzig and made just three appearances.
