Arsenal transfer news: Gunners 'prepared' to pay £125m for 21-year-old

Regarded as one of the most talented young players in Europe, the 21-year-old was a cornerstone of the Leverkusen side which astonishingly secured the Bundesliga title without suffering a single defeat last season.

Despite suffering a serious knee injury a couple of years ago, which saw him miss a decent chunk of the 2022-23 season, Wirtz has shown no ill-effects and contributed 18 goals and 20 assists from 49 games in all competitions in 2023-24.

Following a productive Euro 2024 campaign for quarter-finalists Germany, Wirtz has picked up where he left off domestically with seven direct goal contributions from as many games this season, six of his own and one assist.

The former Cologne starlet is still under contract for another three seasons and stayed loyal to Xabi Alonso's side over the summer, but the Bundesliga champions may be fighting an uphill battle to keep Europe's superpowers at bay in 2025.

Arsenal to rival Real Madrid, Manchester City for Wirtz?

Real Madrid and Manchester City are both expected to be in the mix, while Liverpool and Bayern Munich have also been tipped to make an approach for the 21-year-old, who last signed a contract extension in Leverkusen in 2022.

According to a report from SPORTBild - via Sport Witness - Arsenal have also thrown their hat into the ring, and the Gunners would be prepared to make Wirtz their most expensive acquisition of all time.

That honour currently belongs to Declan Rice, who made the switch from West Ham United for £105m in 2023, but Arsenal are supposedly willing to fork out a mammoth €150m (£125.3m) to win the race for Wirtz.

The Gunners have apparently been keeping tabs on Wirtz since his days in the Cologne youth setup, where he plied his trade from 2010 to 2020, but the midfielder declined a move to England at the time due to wanting to continue his development in Germany.

However, Wirtz is reportedly now ready to consider a big-money Premier League move due to his desire to win both the Champions League and Ballon d'Or, targets which he feels are attainable in England.

The 21-year-old remains firmly committed to Leverkusen for the time being, but Alonso's side will likely be inundated with bids for the Germany international when the summer transfer window next rolls around.

Wirtz boasts a total of 47 goals and 51 assists in 159 competitive matches for Bayer Leverkusen, and he netted twice for his nation at Euro 2024, including a last-gasp equaliser against Spain in the quarter-finals before Arsenal new boy Mikel Merino eliminated the hosts in extra time.

Where would Wirtz fit in at Arsenal?

A natural playmaker, Wirtz has occupied the number 10 position throughout the 2024-25 campaign so far, although Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is indispensable in that position, when he is not out with an ankle injury.

However, such is Wirtz's versatility that the Germany international is equally competent on both wings, and he has often featured on the left for his country, which is a very intriguing prospect at Arsenal.

Gabriel Martinelli has seriously struggled for form ever since the start of the 2023-24 season, while Leandro Trossard turns 30 this year and has apparently already been the subject of one rejected bid from the Saudi Pro League.