Arsenal Battling Rivals For Teenage Record Breaker Backed By Club Legend—report

The title for Givairo Read’s signature is on, reports successful nan Netherlands claim.

Feyenoord’s fleet-footed correct backmost has emerged arsenic 1 of Europe’s astir promising defenders since breaking done astatine De Kuip past season. Read was handed his first minutes of elder shot arsenic a 16-year-old backmost successful March 2023 but had to hold until 19 months earlier making his first elder convention start. The buccaneering teen has missed conscionable 2 of Feyenoord’s 37 consequent Eredivisie matches.

Boasting an oculus for crashing into nan guidance container and a devilishly deft passing range, Read is chiselling retired a estimation arsenic an attacking unit to beryllium reckoned with. The Amsterdam-born afloat backmost became nan youngest subordinate to rack up 3 assists successful nan aforesaid Eredivisie lucifer this period aft a unsocial hat-trick against FC Twente successful March.

Since nan commencement of past season, Read has created an awesome 9 convention goals for his teammates, including 3 from 10 appearances already this season. Scouts from Arsenal, Manchester City and Bayern Munich person taken statement of these composed and imaginative performances, according to De Telegraaf.

Interest from Bayern is truthful good established that it has moreover perforated nan Feyenoord dressing room. “Yes, jokes are being made,” Read admitted this weekend. “They abruptly talk German to maine and stuff. But that’s bully to see.”

The 19-year-old had a mature consequence for nan mounting Premier League speculation. “It does not distract me, you know,” he insisted. “I’m comfortable pinch Feyenoord and my improvement present is nan only point successful my head.”

Givairo Read is simply a Creative Menace

Data via FBref. Correct arsenic of Nov. 3, 2025.

Robin van Persie (left) has afloat religion successful Givairo Read (far right). / Hans van der Valk/BSR Agency/Getty Images

Current Liverpool leader Arne Slot was nan coach who handed Read his Champions League debut during his last twelvemonth astatine Feyenoord. The Premier League victor was afloat of praise for nan teenager. “Read besides has a number of qualities that I like,” he said astatine nan time. “Fast footwork. [He is] besides not acrophobic to play, which is important erstwhile you person to spell to De Kuip.”

Yet, overmuch of his trajectory has been guided by Robin van Persie. The erstwhile Arsenal and Manchester United striker was head of Feyenoord’s younker squad erstwhile Read many times proved to beryllium a trim supra nan remainder of Europe’s champion teenagers. Now installed arsenic nan elder caput coach astatine Rotterdam, Van Persie has maintained his religion successful nan afloat back, promoting nan youngster to portion of nan first-team’s activity group.

“The head has besides told maine he has a batch of assurance successful me,” Read told assembled media while linking up pinch nan Netherlands U21 squad successful September. “I consciousness honoured to beryllium nan 3rd captain. It gives maine a batch of confidence; I situation to return much risks.”

Quite wherever Read would fresh successful astatine Arsenal is unclear. The Gunners are already good stocked astatine correct back, pinch Jurriën Timber enjoying nan shape of his life while fending disconnected Ben White. However, Mikel Arteta has proven to beryllium consenting to stock-pile young talent, arsenic evidenced by nan summer acquisition of Cristhian Mosquera.

Manchester City, by contrast, person an evident spread astatine correct backmost which has been gaping since Kyle Walker’s departure. Rico Lewis and earthy midfielder Matheus Nunes person filled successful pinch mixed occurrence complete caller months but Read would connection much of a earthy fresh successful that problem position.

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