The Bundesliga club are enduring a miserable campaign and appear unlikely to qualify for European football next season.
Despite Dortmund’s struggles, Gittens has enjoyed a reputation campaign and has been heavily linked a with a return to England.
The 20-year-old, who was on the books of Chelsea and Reading earlier in his career, is understood to be interesting Manchester United and Liverpool and would cost clubs in the region of £83 million.
Liverpool have also been credited with an interest but former Reds defender Markus Babbel believes it is Arsenal who will emerge as the strongest contenders for the forward’s signature.
‘I think there’s a good chance we could see Jamie Gittens playing in the Premier League next season,’ Babbel told Wette.de.
‘I don’t think Borussia Dortmund will qualify for the Champions League this season, or even for the Europa League or Conference League.
‘They will have to sell some players this summer and Gittens is the player they’ll be able to sell for the most money – so a move would make sense for all parties.
‘Given his qualities, he’ll be wanting to play in the Champions League next year which is why Arsenal will have a massive chance of signing him in the summer. He’d be a brilliant addition to Mikel Arteta’s team.
‘Out of the other Premier League clubs linked with Gittens, I’m not sure about Tottenham’s chances of signing him, or even Chelsea’s, as he’ll be wanting to play Champions League football next year, which is why I believe he will leave Dortmund at the end of this season.’
Gittens is unlikely to be the only German-based star on the move in the summer and Babbel believes Manchester City should look no further than Bayer Leverkusen Florian Wirtz in their attempts to find Kevin De Bruyne’s successor.
‘Florian Wirtz would be a brilliant signing for Manchester City if they were to try to sign him this summer,’ Babbel said.
‘He’s by far one of the best and most valuable players in the Bundesliga at the moment, along with Jamal Musiala. If Man City have the chance to sign him, they must go for it because he is different class.
‘Is Florian Wirtz the natural successor to Kevin De Bruyne? Well, if you look at De Bruyne, I have the feeling he will be leaving Manchester City at the end of the season.
‘He’s different to how he’s been in recent years, he gives interviews where it seems as though he’s not happy anymore – ‘there’s too many games, it’s too tough…’
‘Kevin De Bruyne will leave Man City in the summer, and I believe he will go to Saudi Arabia because he’ll earn so much money over there, he’ll have less stress than he does in England and can finish his career there.
‘So, if De Bruyne does leave Man City this summer then Florian Wirtz would be a brilliant replacement, that’s for sure.’
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