Arsenal scouts ‘travel to watch’ Xavi Simons and three other potential transfer targets

Arsenal reportedly sent scouts to assess four players featuring in the same Bundesliga match on Saturday ahead of potential transfer pursuits.

Xavi Simons has been linked with a switch to the Emirates Stadium in recent weeks and he opened the scoring in RB Leipzig’s 3-2 defeat to table-toppers Bayer Leverkusen. The winger, on loan from Paris Saint-Germain, has scored seven times and assisted nine more this season.

Teammate Lois Openda also got on the scoresheet, with HITC claiming that the striker is another player Gunners recruitment staff were watching at the weekend. The attacker has scored 16 times in 27 matches this season, including against Manchester City in the Champions League.

Mikel Arteta is staying reserved in his public stance on bringing in a new striker but is expected to look for a new goal-getter at some point this year. Meanwhile, the report says Arsenal are keeping tabs on right-back Jeremie Frimpong and midfielder Exequiel Palacios of Leverkusen.

Both have been instrumental in the club’s rise to the summit of the Bundesliga this season. Pivot Palacios has also chipped in with five goals and two assists while Frimpong has tallied seven goals and 10 assists at wing-back.

Scouts from Premier League rivals are thought to have attended the game, including those from Liverpool who are being linked with Leverkusen defender and match-winner Piero Hincapie. Man City and Manchester United apparently sent representatives to assess other players, as did West Ham.

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Arsenal, meanwhile, are yet to sign a new recruit this month with