Sport Bild reports that Arsenal has entered the hunt to recruit Florian Wirtz, a budding star for Bayer Leverkusen; iMiaSanMia has provided more information.
As one of the most exciting possibilities in international football at the age of 21, the German midfielder is naturally attracting the attention of Real Madrid.
Conversely, Arsenal has been monitoring Wirtz for a while now, having scouted him in DC Koln when he was still a young player.
Even though Wirtz has a contract with Bayer Leverkusen through 2027, there are reports that he has specific goals in mind for his next move.
When he makes the decision to leave the Bundesliga squad, he wants to play for and eventually win a Champions League championship.
In addition, he wants to play for a team that will allow him to compete for individual awards like the Ballon d’Or. Knowing exactly how good Wirtz can be, Bayer Leverkusen has set a lofty asking price of €150 million.
Real Madrid is still the frontrunner.
At the moment, it seems unlikely that Wirtz will leave Leverkusen anytime soon. However, Real Madrid are considered strong favourites to eventually secure the midfielder’s services.
One of the key reasons for this is the possibility of Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen’s current manager, taking over from Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid once the Italian coach departs.
Wirtz has worked closely with Alonso, and the former midfielder’s influence could play a major role in any potential transfer.
While the next summer transfer window is still a while away, Real Madrid are currently seen as the frontrunners in the pursuit of Wirtz. They face stiff competition, not just from Arsenal, but also from Bayern Munich and other elite European clubs.
However, given Real Madrid’s stature and potential future managerial situation, they remain in a strong position to land Wirtz if and when he decides to move.