Arsenal and Manchester City face stumbling block in race to sign 21-year-old German sensation wanted by Real Madrid: Reports

Arsenal, Manchester City, and Real Madrid could face a major stumbling block in their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz, according to a report by FootballTransfers. This comes after details concerning positive contract extension talks between the players' entourage and Leverkusen emerged.

The German sensation has proven to be a remarkable attacking midfielder in recent years. Widely known for his flexibility in attack and creativity, Wirtz is one of the best youngsters in the footballing world right now.

In 36 appearances in the 2024-25 campaign, he has registered 15 goals and 13 assists for Leverkusen. Last season, he was also one of the brains behind Leverkusen's Bundesliga triumph as they won their first title in history.

The 21-year-old's outstanding performance in recent times hasn't gone unnoticed, as several European clubs are looking to sign him. Arsenal's interest in Wirtz could be tied to the desire to improve the creativity level in their midfield.

Manchester City are heavily interested in signing Wirtz as a long-term replacement for Kevin De Bruyne, whose contract at the Etihad expires in the summer. Real Madrid, meanwhile, could be looking to sign the youngster due to his versatility to feature in numerous attacking positions.

However, the aforementioned report claims that Wirtz is tilting towards a contract extension at Leverkusen. By default, his current contract is scheduled to expire in June 2027.

Leverkusen's hierarchy are not rushing to sell him and could only be tempted with a transfer fee above €150 million. Thus, it remains to be seen if the above-mentioned clubs will be looking to match Leverkusen's reported valuation for Wirtz in the summer.

How has Arsenal's attacking midfielder Martin Odegaard performed amid Florian Wirtz's speculation?

Arsenal FC v West Ham United FC - Premier League - Source: Getty

Amid Arsenal's interest in signing Wirtz, Martin Odegaard has struggled to be consistent this season. There has also been a dip in the level of his creativity when compared to last season.

In 28 games, Odegaard has only scored three goals and provided six assists for the Gunners. While his poor form could be down to the injury of Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz, the Gunners are in search of an alternative.

When compared, Wirtz is more versatile in the attack than Odegaard. In terms of creativity, Wirtz has proven to be a more creative midfielder this season. Thus, his potential signing could improve the level of creativity in Arsenal's attack.