Arsenal & Liverpool add £51m-rated Bundesliga centre-back to transfer wishlist - report

Arsenal and Liverpool have each been linked with emerging Eintracht Frankfurt centre-back Willian Pacho ahead of the summer transfer window.

The 22-year-old only joined Frankfurt in the summer of 2023, with an agreement initially made several months earlier. He had helped Royal Antwerp to a first Belgian title in 66 years, one half of a first-ever domestic league and cup double for the club.

Sky Sport Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has highlighted that Pacho has made his way on to transfer shortlists compiled by both Arsenal and Liverpool. Frankfurt's club hierarchy are believed to have been informed as such but are expected to demand a premium €60m (£51m) transfer fee.

Pacho has a contract with the Bundesliga side until the summer of 2028 and so they retain the power to sell the player on their terms for at least the next couple of years.

Arsenal have enjoyed a settled centre-back pairing this season between William Saliba and Gabriel, with Ben White mainly still being used as a right-back. That could change next season once Jurrien Timber returns from the ACL injury that has written off his debut campaign with the club, but improving defensive depth will be vital for the Gunners as their ambitions grow.

For Liverpool, defensive reinforcement was postponed last summer amid the need to rebuild in midfield. Joel Matip is out of contract at the end of the season and rookie first-teamer Jarell Quansah is the only specialised cover for Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, who has himself missed games throughout his time at Anfield due to injury. Joe Gomez continues to be primarily used at full-back.

Pacho is among a handful of young talents from Ecuador to be making a mark in Europe alongside the likes of Chelsea midfielder Moises Caicedo and Bayer Leverkusen defender Piero Hincapie, both of whom are also 22. Teenage defender Joel Ordonez is being nurtured by Club Brugge. At 26, Angelo Preciado is slightly older but has impressed in the Europa League with Sparta Prague.

Meanwhile, 16-year-old Kendry Paez is based at home but has already committed his future to Chelsea for when he turns 18 and can move internationally.

All six of those – and plenty more in the national team picture – share common roots at Ecuadorian club Independiente del Valle, who have only won one domestic league title in their history but have suddenly established a reputation as one of South America's very best talent development hubs.

READ THE LATEST TRANSFER NEWS & GOSSIP FROM AROUND THE WORLD