Bournemouth, Forest 'register interest' in £17.2m-rated World Cup defender

Bournemouth and Nottingham Forest are reportedly interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt defender Arthur Theate.

The centre-back has made 75 appearances for Frankfurt since joining the club on an initial loan deal in the summer of 2024.

Theate later made the move permanent, signing a contract with the Bundesliga club until June 2029.

However, there is serious doubt as to whether Theate will still be a Frankfurt player when the new season starts in August, with the defender said to be a target for at least two Premier League clubs.

Bournemouth, Forest eyeing Theate move

According to Bild, Bournemouth and Forest have both registered their interest in the Belgian international.

The report states that the two Premier League clubs are currently in contact with the player's representatives as they weigh up a potential move.

The defender has stated that he is "ready for that level" when asked about a potential move to the Premier League at Belgium's World Cup training camp.

As for Frankfurt, they are believed to be open to selling Theate, taking into account that the defender struggled to reproduce the level of performances from the 2024-25 campaign in the most recent season.

The German side will demand at least €20m (£17.2m) to sanction Theate's sale in the current transfer window.

Why are Bournemouth and Forest keen on Theate?

Bournemouth are in need of central defensive reinforcements following Marco Senesi's departure as a free agent.

Theate would also bring valuable European experience to the squad as new head coach Marco Rose prepares to lead the Cherries into their first season in UEFA competition.

Meanwhile, Forest are aiming to make improvements to their squad to avoid a repeat of a difficult 2025-26 campaign that saw them battle against the threat of relegation.

However, they may need to be at least one outing before Forest can pursue a deal for Theate, with Vitor Pereira able to call upon Murillo, Nikola Milenkovic, Jair Cunha, Morato and Zach Abbott as his central defensive options.

Theate should get the chance to impress his potential suitors in Belgium's final World Cup group game against New Zealand.

The 26-year-old is expected to replace Nathan Ngoy, who is suspended after being sent off in the goalless draw against Iran.