Arsenal target Claude-Maurice hoping for Borussia Monchengladbach move

Lorient winger Alexis Claude-Maurice has revealed he wants to join Borussia Monchengladbach, despite interest from the Premier League.

The 21-year-old Frenchman has reportedly been the subject of a bid from Arsenal while West Ham are also understood to have had an offer turned down earlier in June.

However, despite that interest, Claude-Maurice is keen on a move to the Bundesliga with Monchengladbach his ideal club.

Claude-Maurice hopes to seal a move away from Lorient this summer and told L’Equipe: "Now I feel like it's time to leave, to join a club that is playing at a higher level.

"I want to join Monchengladbach. It is a club that relies on young people, there is a good structure, the team will play in the Europa League. This project pleases me and suits me."

Arsenal are keen to strengthen having missed out on the Champions League after May’s Europa League final defeat by Chelsea and one area of priority is the wide positions.

With some reports suggesting manager Unai Emery only has £45 million (€50m) to spend during this transfer window, he may now look elsewhere with Claude-Maurice’s valuation close to €20m (£17.83m).

The north London club have also been heavily linked with Lille forward Nicolas Pepe though reportedly face fierce competition from Bayern Munich and Liverpool.

Claude-Maurice, meanwhile, scored 14 goals last season and was named in the Ligue 2 Team of the Season. Despite his scoring feats, however, Lorient missed out on promotion to Ligue 1 and the youngster is now ready to take the next step of his career.

West Ham are also admirers and have enjoyed their own success in the French market after landing centre-back Issa Diop from Toulouse in 2018. The 22-year-old went on to enjoy a stellar campaign at London Stadium and has been linked with Manchester United as the Old Trafford club plot a mass rebuild.

Having come through the ranks at Stade du Moustoir, Claude-Maurice has represented France at Under-20 level.

Should the player seal his dream move, he would join young compatriots Mickael Cuisance and Mamadou Doucoure at the German club while Alassane Plea also signed from Nice 12 months ago.