Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea all tracking Freiburg striker Igor Matanovic
Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea are battling to sign Freiburg centre-forward Igor Matanovic, according to CaughtOffside. The 23-year-old Austrian has eight goal contributions in seven games this season, and Freiburg will not stand in his way — though his price has risen to £50m.
- Player: Igor Matanovic, 23, centre-forward, Freiburg and Austria
- Clubs interested: Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea
- Fee: Valuation has increased from £30m to £50m
- Season form: Eight goal contributions in seven games this season
- Selling club stance: Freiburg will not oppose his departure
- Reported by: CaughtOffside
Deal details
Freiburg will not oppose Matanovic's departure, and the Bundesliga club have raised their valuation of the forward from £30m to £50m. That is the current asking price for a player who has drawn interest from three Premier League clubs.
There is no suggestion of an agreed fee, a bid, or advanced negotiations with any of the three clubs. All three are monitoring the situation ahead of a possible swoop, according to CaughtOffside. The report frames the interest as tracking rather than a done deal, with the next transfer window in 2027 identified as the likely battleground.
Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea are all said to be closely monitoring the Austrian international. For Arsenal, the report adds that Matanovic would be a like-for-like alternative to Kai Havertz because of the similarities in their qualities, having failed to sign a new centre-forward last summer. United want additional firepower after recent fitness problems with Benjamin Sesko, and are eyeing the Austrian. Chelsea, meanwhile, are described as always looking out for young prospects like Matanovic, though they currently have Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck as first- and second-choice options.
What Matanovic would bring
Matanovic is a 6ft 4in centre-forward whose all-round game — physicality, box presence, link-up play and aerial prowess — is described as perfectly suited to the intensity of the Premier League. He has provided double figures in goals in each of the last two seasons, and his eight goal contributions in seven games this campaign have pushed him back into the spotlight.
Born in Germany but an Austrian international, Matanovic has spent his entire career in German football. He first joined Harburger TB in 2010 before signing for St Pauli, where he came through all the ranks at the academy. His goalscoring record there was outstanding, particularly at U17 level, where he provided 26 goal contributions in 27 games — form that led his former manager Timo Schultz to call him "exceptional".
Matanovic made his first-team debut in a 1-0 Bundesliga 2 loss to VfL Osnabrück in November 2020, becoming the third-youngest debutant in St Pauli's history at 17 years, seven months and 27 days. After 57 games for the club, he signed for Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer of 2021, but the move did not go as planned — he made just 25 appearances before joining Freiburg.
Since arriving at Freiburg, the 23-year-old has rediscovered his form, contributing 27 goal involvements in total. That output, plus his profile, explains why he has been one of the most sought-after forwards in recent transfer windows.
What was said
"Exceptional."
Schultz's assessment is brief but telling. Coaches rarely hand out that kind of word lightly to a teenager, and it came after Matanovic produced 26 goal contributions in 27 U17 games. The label has followed him since, and it is the kind of line scouts file away and return to when a player starts delivering at senior level.
What matters now is whether that early promise translates into Premier League output. Matanovic's goals for Freiburg, plus his physical profile, suggest the raw tools are there. The £50m valuation is the market's way of saying it believes they are.
The numbers
- Age: 23
- Height: 6ft 4in
- U17 record at St Pauli: 26 goal contributions in 27 games
- St Pauli first-team appearances: 57
- Debut age: 17 years, seven months and 27 days — third-youngest in St Pauli history
- Eintracht Frankfurt appearances: 25
- Freiburg goal contributions: 27
- This season: Eight goal contributions in seven games
- Valuation: £50m, up from £30m
Injury and availability
There is no injury reported for Matanovic. Manchester United's interest is linked to recent fitness problems with Benjamin Sesko, which the report cites as a reason for their search for extra firepower. There are no other availability concerns stated for Arsenal or Chelsea in relation to this story.
Why Arsenal's Havertz comparison matters most
The most tactically interesting line in the report is the claim that Matanovic would be a like-for-like alternative to Kai Havertz at Arsenal. That tells you what the Gunners think they are missing. Havertz is not a penalty-box poacher; he is a runner who links play, occupies centre-backs and arrives late in the area. If Arsenal see Matanovic in the same mould, they are not shopping for a finisher to sit on the shoulder — they are shopping for a forward who can do the ugly, connective work in Mikel Arteta's system.
That also explains why Arsenal, having failed to sign a centre-forward last summer, have not simply gone out and bought a conventional No 9. The profile has to fit. Matanovic's 6ft 4in frame gives them the aerial outlet and box presence Havertz provides, while his link-up play would theoretically allow the wide forwards to keep attacking the spaces they already attack. At 23, and with a £50m price tag, he is a project and a player at once.
For United, the motivation is more straightforward. Fitness problems with Benjamin Sesko have exposed a lack of reliable depth up front, and Matanovic fits the physical template of a Premier League centre-forward. For Chelsea, the interest is framed as their standard young-prospect policy — but with Joao Pedro and Danny Welbeck currently ahead of any new arrival in the pecking order, a move would be about the future rather than the starting XI. That is the key difference between the three: Arsenal and United could offer a clearer path to minutes, while Chelsea would be asking Matanovic to be patient. If he wants to play now, that tilts the race.
Talking points
- Is £50m too much for a 23-year-old with 27 Freiburg goal contributions, or is that simply the going rate for a 6ft 4in forward with his profile?
- Arsenal's Havertz comparison suggests they still do not want a traditional poacher. Is that smart system-building, or a refusal to address their finishing problem?
- Chelsea's pathway is the weakest of the three. If Matanovic wants regular starts, why would he choose Stamford Bridge over Old Trafford or the Emirates?
- Freiburg's willingness to sell at the right price removes the hardest part of any deal. Does that make this a straightforward auction between three clubs?
What happens next
The report points to the 2027 transfer window as the likely stage for any move. Between now and then, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea will continue to monitor Matanovic, while Freiburg wait for a bid that meets their £50m valuation. With the selling club open to a departure, the decisive factor will be which of the three can offer the most convincing sporting project — and whether any of them is prepared to pay the increased asking price.
Frequently asked questions
Which clubs want to sign Igor Matanovic?
Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea are all battling to sign the Freiburg forward, according to CaughtOffside. All three are closely monitoring him ahead of a possible swoop.
How much would Igor Matanovic cost?
Freiburg's valuation of Matanovic has increased from £30m to £50m. The Bundesliga club will not oppose his departure at the right price.
How many goals has Igor Matanovic scored this season?
Matanovic has eight goal contributions in seven games this season for Freiburg. He has provided 27 goal contributions in total since joining the club.
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