Man City battling Arsenal to sign £52m-rated talent who plays like Joao Cancelo
Manchester City and Arsenal are emerging as contenders to sign a talented full-back who has been compared to Joao Cancelo.
While the January transfer window is months away, Man City and Arsenal will want to address some problem areas of their squads.
The two clubs are expected to challenge in the Premier League title race with Liverpool, and may need some additions to increase their chances, including in the full-back positions.
As it stands, Man City are open to signing a new right-back to challenge the talented Abdukodir Khusanov, whereas Arsenal are pretty stacked on both flanks, with Myles Lewis-Skelly rivalling Riccardo Calafiori for a place in Mikel Arteta’s starting line-up.
Nathaniel Brown valued at £52m amid Man City and Arsenal interest
Football Insider revealed on September 26 that Arsenal and Man City are keeping tabs on Nathaniel Brown, who is currently plying his trade at Eintracht Frankfurt.
The 22-year-old has blossomed into an incredible talent since breaking onto the scene in Germany, recording an impressive three goals and seven assists in 26 Bundesliga appearances in 2024/25.
The German international has shown signs of continuing that form with three goal involvements already in 2025/26, including an assist against Galatasaray in the Champions League.
🚨🦅 EXCL | Eintracht Frankfurt already expect top offers for Nathaniel #Brown in the summer. Understand #SGE are demanding up to €60 million for a summer move.
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) October 13, 2025
He is under contract until 2030 with no release clause. The 22 y/o left-back has had an excellent season and is a new… pic.twitter.com/fcbEC3oKsj
According to Sky reporter Florian Plettenberg, Brown is valued at €60million (£52m) by Frankfurt ahead of a potential swoop next summer.
Frankfurt are protected by the fact that he is contracted at the club until 2030, and there is no release clause in his current deal.
Recently capped by Julian Nagelsmann for Germany, Brown is one of the most sought-after full-backs on the planet, with one comparison explaining why.
Brown has been compared to Joao Cancelo
Pep Guardiola has revolutionised the full-back role ever since arriving in England, and Man City have seen the identity of those positions shift over the years.
Joao Cancelo, who left Man City in 2024, was brilliant during his time at the Etihad Stadium, showcasing his capabilities as an overlapping full-back on the right side or inverting on the left.
Remarkably, Brown’s attributes have already been likened to Cancelo in a piece written by the official Bundesliga website.
“Versatility is one of Brown’s strong suits,” the comparison read. “His preferred role is at left-back, but he can also operate on the opposite flank as an inverted full-back, and has even played in central midfield.
Given his ability to marry defensive and attacking qualities in a variety of positions, former Bayern Munich man Cancelo is a fair, albeit naturally right-footed, reference point.”
As such, Brown’s versatility is one key reason why Arteta and Guardiola are battling over his signature.