Who is Hugo Larsson? Frankfurt's Swedish wonderkid eyed by Arsenal and Liverpool

Tom Weber

Updated: 19 Apr 2024 09:37 CDT
5 min read

Hugo Larsson, Eintracht Frankfurt — © IMAGO

Hugo Larsson is one of the biggest talents Sweden has produced in recent years.

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The Eintracht Frankfurt youngster has impressed so much in his first season of Bundesliga football that the Premier League's elite is already eyeing him. Larsson is not someone who will rush into a big transfer, having previously snubbed Chelsea, but it is clear that the teenager is destined for big things.

But who is Hugo Larsson and how good is he really?

What position does Larsson play in?

Hugo Larsson is primarily a box-to-box central midfielder.

How good is Larsson?

Born in southern Sweden, Larsson rose to prominence with local giants Malmo after climbing through the club's youth ranks. The central midfielder made his professional debut in 2022 at 17 years of age and would establish himself as a key player over the course of the 2023 Allsvenskan season.

In 2022, Larsson went on trial with his 'favourite club' Chelsea but decided to reject the chance to join them in favour of continuing his development in a more familiar environment at Malmo. "For me, it was better to continue my development at home, at Malmo. I want to break through at Malmo first before I go abroad," he said after snubbing the Blues.

After his breakout 2023 campaign, Larsson decided to take the next step in his career, sealing a then-Allsvenskan record transfer to Eintracht Frankfurt. The Eagles shelled out €9 million with the fee potentially rising further if certain criteria are met. In Germany, Larsson has impressed. Given that he is a more defensive-minded central midfielder, his numbers don't look spectacular, but the youngster has done an admirable job in his first season of Bundesliga football for a hit-and-miss side.

Current ETV

Hugo Larsson

DM (RL), M (C)

E. Frankfurt

Hugo Larsson

DM (RL), M (C)

E. Frankfurt

ETV Range

€16.3M - €27.2M

Larsson's Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) has skyrocketed since joining Eintracht. According to data analytics firm SciSports, the Swede is a similar player to Premier League star Douglas Luiz, though he still needs to work on his offensive game a little more. Larsson's biggest assets are his fitness and technical ability.

Once in possession, it is difficult to get the ball off the 19-year-old and he facilitates attacks from deep. He is more of an all-action metronome who breaks up opposition attacks and keeps his own side's play ticking over rather than someone who sprays Hollywood passes across the length of the pitch. Larsson's impressive performances have seen him feature for Sweden's senior national team and the youngster is subject to Premier League interest.

🎥💯 focus on Hugo Larsson 🎯#SGE pic.twitter.com/tsaftbbZp8
— Eintracht Frankfurt (@eintracht_eng) July 13, 2023

What clubs are interested in Larsson?

FootballTransfers understands that Liverpool and Newcastle are monitoring Larsson. Additionally, German media has reported that Arsenal are hot on his trail and, given their previous interest, he will also certainly be on Chelsea's radar.

According to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Frankfurt have emphatically made it clear that Larsson is not for sale in 2024.