Arsenal plot ambitious swoop for £125m Liverpool target after transfer U-turn

Arsenal are the latest club who are said to be weighing up an approach for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz.

A whole host of Europe's elite have been tracking Wirtz, 21, in recent months following his most productive season ever with the German champions, whom he plundered 18 goals for last term.

Wirtz went on to star for Germany at Euro 2024 this summer and has already notched four league goals in as many games for Leverkusen this term, so it should come as no surprise that interest in his services has intensified.

Arsenal are in the midst of a renaissance under Mikel Arteta after a difficult period. And with their pulling power restore, the Premier League title contenders are once again eyeing Europe's most coveted gems.

According to a new report from SportBild, via Sport Witness, the Gunners have joined Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in the race for Wirtz, who was the subject of strong transfer interest in the summer.

It's noted that Arsenal are long-term admirers of Wirtz - who is valued at €150million (£125m) and even scouted him well before he joined Leverkusen back in 2020, though the player had no interest in moving to England back then.

After winning the Bundesliga title last year, Wirtz is now keen on joining a club capable of Champions League glory to boost his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or in the future.

Arsenal's growth under Arteta would make them viable contenders to land Wirtz, though the report does outline that Real Madrid are the favourites to land the attacking midfielder next summer amid their interest in Leverkusen head coach, Xabi Alonso.

Liverpool were heavily linked with Wirtz in the summer in the build-up to Euro 2024 but the player's father, Hans, addressed that that transfer speculation directly. He made it clear that his son was not, at that point, angling for a move and was looking forward to playing in the Champions League for the first time.

He told Bild: "Florian has a contract in Leverkusen. And he’s looking forward to next year at Bayer 04 when he can play in the Champions League with Leverkusen for the first time. Those are the facts.

"Now the focus is on the Euros. After that there’s a lot to do with the club next season, so there’s no need for speculation. There’s really nothing to say beyond that."