The race for Givairo Read’s signature is on, reports in the Netherlands claim.
Feyenoord’s fleet-footed right back has emerged as one of Europe’s most promising defenders since breaking through at De Kuip last season. Read was handed his first minutes of senior football as a 16-year-old back in March 2023 but had to wait until 19 months before making his first senior league start. The buccaneering teenager has missed just two of Feyenoord’s 37 subsequent Eredivisie matches.
Boasting an eye for crashing into the opposition box and a devilishly deft passing range, Read is chiselling out a reputation as an attacking force to be reckoned with. The Amsterdam-born full back became the youngest player to rack up three assists in the same Eredivisie match this century after a unique hat-trick against FC Twente in March.
Since the start of last season, Read has created an impressive nine league goals for his teammates, including three from 10 appearances already this season. Scouts from Arsenal, Manchester City and Bayern Munich have taken note of these composed and creative performances, according to De Telegraaf.
Interest from Bayern is so well established that it has even perforated the Feyenoord dressing room. “Yes, jokes are being made,” Read admitted this weekend. “They suddenly talk German to me and stuff. But that’s nice to see.”
The 19-year-old had a mature response for the mounting Premier League speculation. “It does not distract me, you know,” he insisted. “I’m comfortable with Feyenoord and my development here is the only thing in my head.”
Givairo Read is a Creative Menace
Data via FBref. Correct as of Nov. 3, 2025.
Robin van Persie Backs Talented Leader
Current Liverpool boss Arne Slot was the coach who handed Read his Champions League debut during his final year at Feyenoord. The Premier League winner was full of praise for the teenager. “Read also has a number of qualities that I like,” he said at the time. “Fast footwork. [He is] also not afraid to play, which is important when you have to go to De Kuip.”
Yet, much of his trajectory has been guided by Robin van Persie. The former Arsenal and Manchester United striker was manager of Feyenoord’s youth team when Read repeatedly proved to be a cut above the rest of Europe’s best teenagers. Now installed as the senior head coach at Rotterdam, Van Persie has maintained his faith in the full back, promoting the youngster to part of the first-team’s leadership group.
“The manager has also told me he has a lot of confidence in me,” Read told assembled media while linking up with the Netherlands U21 team in September. “I feel honoured to be the third captain. It gives me a lot of confidence; I dare to take more risks.”
Quite where Read would fit in at Arsenal is unclear. The Gunners are already well stocked at right back, with Jurriën Timber enjoying the form of his life while fending off Ben White. However, Mikel Arteta has proven to be willing to stock-pile young talent, as evidenced by the summer acquisition of Cristhian Mosquera.
Manchester City, by contrast, have an obvious hole at right back which has been gaping since Kyle Walker’s departure. Rico Lewis and natural midfielder Matheus Nunes have filled in with mixed success over recent months but Read would offer more of a natural fit in that problem position.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal Battling Rivals for Teenage Record Breaker Backed by Club Legend—Report.