Arsenal held a serious interest in Leon Goretzka ahead of transfer deadline day, and they may return for him this summer, according to a report.
Christian Falk reports to CFBayern Insider that Arsenal were seriously interested in signing Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka before the transfer deadline on Monday.
The problem was that by the time Arsenal had made their interest known, Goretzka had already informed Bayern that he wanted to stay for the rest of the season and wasn’t looking to move.
Goretzka’s contract expires this summer, so he’ll have free rein to choose his next club in just a few months’ time.
Falk adds that there’s a strong chance Goretzka could move to Arsenal in the summer, if the Gunners make an offer. The player believes his style is well suited to the Premier League.
Given Goretzka’s expiring contract and the fact he plays for a foreign club, Arsenal can make an approach over a pre-contract agreement anytime they want. They no longer need to get permission from Bayern to do so.
Goretzka has made 28 appearances for Bayern this season, but just 16 of them were in the starting lineup. He’s largely had a bench role with the team in 2025/26, particularly outside of the Bundesliga, with zero Champions League starts and zero DFB-Pokal starts.
If Arsenal are looking to add experience to their midfield this summer, Goretzka offers a cheap way to do so.
Turning 31 today, the German international has 67 caps, 69 appearances in the Champions League, and over 300 in one of Europe’s top-five leagues in the Bundesliga.
Though he’s never played in the Premier League, Goretzka has played 14 games against Premier League opponents in the Champions League. So he has some experience there too.