Updated: 22 May 2026 15:33 BST |
5 min read
Arsenal have been closely following the development of Augsburg centre-back Noahkai Banks this season, who is the subject of a major international tug-of-war.
The 19-year-old defender enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2025/26 after winning the trust of Augsburg’s first head coach of the season, Sandro Wagner. He started 13 consecutive matches between September and January, and massively impressed.
He initially kept his place under Wagner’s replacement, Manuel Baum, but a poor run of results saw Banks sacrificed and dropped to the bench. He played fewer than 90 combined minutes in the final nine games of the Bundesliga season after Baum found his preferred defensive setup.
That, however, should take nothing away from the fact that the teenage centre-back was a standout performer in Germany in the bygone season. Physical and good on the ball, Banks has a bright future ahead of him.
AS Roma showed a strong interest in him in January, but Augsburg refused to sell. The Giallorossi remain keen on the Honolulu-born US youth international, but other clubs are now also in the race to sign Banks.
Arsenal scout Banks
According to Sky Germany, Arsenal have been keenly scouting Banks’ development in recent months. That doesn’t necessarily mean that an offer from the newly-crowned Premier League champions materialises, but it does show how highly rated he is.
The Gunners have not just watched Banks from afar, they have also had scouts in attendance at Augsburg games to get a closer look at his performances. They believe that he is an “intriguing long-term option.”
It is added that Banks will be “one to watch” this summer, as it looks highly likely that he will take the next step in his career. Whether that will be to the Premier League or Serie A remains to be seen.
What is clear, though, is that his recent spell out of the Augsburg team has done nothing to harm his reputation around Europe. Perhaps he was also dropped because it became clear that he would leave the club this summer.
The data certainly backs up that he is a hugely exciting prospect. Analytics firm SciSports notes that Banks has enjoyed “rapid development” over the past six months. SciSports analyses hundreds of in-game data points and then calculates a SciSkill rating and potential.
Banks’ rating has improved by a whopping 21.9 points over the past half-year. It is believed that he has the potential to become roughly as good as current Arsenal stars Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera.
International battle for Banks
Banks’ club future isn’t the only uncertainty. The 19-year-old is also currently the subject of a tug-of-war between the US and Germany, for which he is eligible due to his mother.
Despite not playing much recently, Banks would have been almost guaranteed a spot in Mauricio Pochettino’s US squad in March and potentially one in the upcoming World Cup roster, due to be announced next Tuesday.
However, Banks has refused to commit to a national team so far. A US-youth international at various levels, he was previously called up by Pochettino, but he did not make his debut.
If recent reports are anything to go by, he now appears to be gambling on a post-World Cup call-up by Germany, but with the US’s final roster still to be announced, there remains the chance of a change of heart. He may have made himself available for the Stars and Stripes.
We simply don’t know at this point, but the US could certainly use Banks. Pochettino looks short on reliable centre-back options right now, even if Chris Richards’ recent injury at Crystal Palace is not believed to be as bad as initially feared.
Banks previously insisted that he would not make his international allegiance contingent on a World Cup call-up. This was clearly a hint that he was leaning more towards Germany than the US.
There was little chance of him making the DFB’s World Cup roster, especially after he dropped out of Augsburg’s team, whereas the USMNT would surely jump at the opportunity to have him available now.
There is certainly now a fresh precedent for a German-American electing to represent the DFB. Eintracht Frankfurt star Nathaniel Brown could become the first such player to play for Germany at a World Cup after being included in the final roster.
Dual nationals Erwin Kostedde and Jimmy Hartwig played for West Germany in non-tournament games in the 1970s. Jermaine Jones made three appearances for Germany in 2008 before switching to the US.
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