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Arsenal are plotting a swoop for Feyenoord left-back Quilindschy Hartman just a few months after he rejected Chelsea, according to reports.
The 22-year-old has become a key player for the Dutch giants over the past two seasons, having earned his breakthrough under Arne Slot – who is now in charge of Liverpool.
Hartman, who came through the club’s academy, was part of the 2022-23 Eredivisie-winning squad while he also won the KNVB Cup last season, though he missed the final after undergoing knee surgery.
The youngster suffered a serious knee injury in March and did not play any part in the run-in, with his injury also ruling him out of the Netherlands’ squad for the European Championship this summer.
Despite that, The Telegraph are reporting that Arsenal are considering making a move for Hartman – though they will wait and see how he recovers from his injury first.
Hartman’s rehabilitation will run over into the start of the next Eredivisie season, meaning any swoop for the left-back may not happen until the January window.
But he is admired by Arsenal’s scouts and is seen as a player who is ready to make the jump up to Premier League football.
The transfer could also be dependent on outgoings, with Arsenal potentially prepared to cash in on either Oleksandr Zinchenko or Jakub Kiwior – or even both.
Mikel Arteta’s priority for the summer window is to bring in a top forward, but he is also keen to sign a promising, emerging left-back with a view to the longer term and that is why he is prepared to wait for Hartman.
The defender is much more of an orthodox, attacking left-back than the players Arteta currently has at his disposal, with the Feyenoord man racking up five assists in his 26 Eredivisie appearances, while he also ranks very highly for metrics such as shot-creating actions and progressive passes.
Arsenal are not the only Premier League club interested in signing the Dutchman, however, with Chelsea having made an approach in January.
Left-back is one of four key areas the west Londoners want to strengthen this summer, which means they are likely to shelve their interest now as they need a player who can make an immediate impact.
Speaking to ESPN earlier this month, Hartman confirmed Chelsea’s approach: ‘I think they don’t want me now, but they really wanted me, yeah.
‘It already started in the winter break. They came to Feyenoord, but at that moment I didn’t really want it myself. I had just broken through, just started playing everything and made it to the Dutch national team. The European Championship was coming.
‘From Feyenoord it was also clear: in the summer we are open to it, but not now.
‘The last few months they came back and really wanted me. Unfortunately, things turned out differently. Now I’m staying with Feyenoord, but there’s a good chance it would have happened otherwise.’
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