Bayern Munich are targeting Arsenal prospect Xavier Amaechi.

football.london understands that Bayern have a long-standing admiration of 18-year-old Amaechi, rated one of the outstanding prospects in the Gunners Hale End academy.

Bayern are not the only team on the winger's trail, with 14 Bundesliga clubs expected to scout tonight's Premier League 2 match between Freddie Ljungberg's Arsenal Under-23 side and Swansea City.

Spanish, French and Italian clubs are also expected to monitor not just Amaechi but Eddie Nketiah, Joe Willock, Bukayo Saka and Julio Pleguezuelo.

Amaechi, whose season was disrupted by a metatarsal injury from which he returned last month, has scored three goals and provided five assists in eight Premier League 2 matches this season.

Arsenal handed Amaechi a professional contract at the earliest possible moment, on his 17th birthday, with his current terms tying him to the Gunners until 2020.

(Image: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images)

His searing pace is his greatest gift - some within the club believe he is as fast as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Hector Bellerin - but his two-footedness and creativity have also earned him comparisons with Jadon Sancho.

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Amaechi was called up to England's U18 squad in September, before he suffered the injury, and was voted in the team of the tournament for last summer's U17 European Championships.

Head coach Unai Emery is yet to hand Amaechi a senior debut - his injury cost him a chance to prove his worth at first-team level when many of his team-mates featured in the Europa League late last year.

"It was really hard mentally being out for so long," Amaechi said last month.

"Some of my teammates have been getting first-team chances, but I've just had to stay strong mentally and think that my time will come if I keep working hard and keep putting the work in on the training ground. Hopefully my time will come soon.

(Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)

"[Seeing my team-mates play for the first team] shows that you're close if you keep working hard and impressing when you get the chance."

Like many of their Bundesliga rivals Bayern believe the English youth system is an untapped resource from which they can benefit. The German champions made four bids for Chelsea's Callum Hudson-Odoi in January, the final one reaching £35million.

It is as yet unclear whether Bayern intend to revive their interest in the summer, when Hudson-Odoi will be entering the final 12 months of his contract. He is currently expected to reject an offer of an extension without guaranteed first-team prospects.

(Image: Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Bayern's interest in Amaechi is not expected to preclude them moving for Hudson-Odoi, who could make a more immediate impact on their first team than the Arsenal prospect.

Hudson-Odoi and Amaechi are viewed by some within youth football as the most likely prospects to replicate Sancho's explosive form in the Bundesliga. The former Manchester City winger has scored eight goals and provided 12 assists in the German top flight this season and his success has encouraged English prospects to consider moves to the continent that would have been highly unlikely a few years ago.

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Arsenal have two of their brightest stars on loan in the Bundesliga, Emile Smith Rowe at RB Leipzig and Reiss Nelson at Hoffenheim, but also face the prospect of losing right-back Vontae Daley-Campbell. The 17-year-old has found his pathway up the Hale End system blocked by Jordi Osei-Tutu, who the Gunners opted to retain despite interest in a loan move from the English lower leagues.

Daley-Campbell is a target for RB Leipzig, Schalke and Sassuolo. Willock, another who was not allowed to go on loan this season, is also likely to catch the eye of scouts tonight.

The attacking midfielder has 11 goals and three assists in 16 games across all competitions this season and scored a brace for Emery's first team in a third round FA Cup win at Blackpool.

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