Arsenal tabled a late offer for Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka in January according to reports in Germany, but the 31-year-old decided to stay at the Bundesliga giants
Mikel Arteta
Mikel Arteta came close to adding a midfielder to his Arsenal squad in January(Image: Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Arsenal reportedly made a last-ditch effort to sign Bayern Munich's Leon Goretzka during the final moments of the January transfer window. Goretzka, 31, is set to bid farewell to the German champions at the end of the season when his current contract runs out.
After an eight-year stint with the club, the midfielder is looking for a fresh challenge in the 2026/27 season. However, according to BILD in Germany, Arsenal were eager to secure his services and put forward a late offer for the ex-Schalke star during the winter window.
But it's suggested that Goretzka chose not to depart Munich immediately and intends to see out the rest of his contract. AC Milan, Napoli, Juventus, and Atletico Madrid are all reportedly interested in Goretzka once his contract comes to an end.
BILD suggests that the midfielder believes his style of play would be well-suited to the Premier League, with Tottenham also showing interest. "As much as I am honoured by the interest from international top clubs, I have made a clear decision to myself to remain at FC Bayern until the end of the season," Goretza stated prior to deadline day.
"At the same time, the club and I have decided in good and constructive talks that our successful time together will come to an end in the summer. As I have said before, this is also the right moment for me to open a new chapter once again, both as a footballer and as a person."
Arsenal were looking for a new central midfielder towards the end of the transfer window after Mikel Merino sustained an injury. The 29-year-old has been absent for the past three matches following a foot injury suffered in the 3-2 defeat to Manchester United.
Mikel Merino
Mikel Merino has missed Arsenal's last three games(Image: PA)
View 2 Images
The length of Merino's absence remains unclear, with his father recently stating there is "uncertainty" surrounding his recovery timeline, with the player needing surgery on a broken bone. Before the window shut, Mikel Arteta acknowledged the club was weighing up a late signing to cover for him.
"Of course," he responded when questioned whether Merino's injury would influence Arsenal's late transfer activity. "When you lose a big player like this in the squad, with four months to go and other competitions to play for, you need to look.
"We need to do everything that we possibly can to see if we have a player that is available. If we don't, OK, we keep what we have.
"At this level, especially for four months, you have to bring a player who has the capacity to adapt immediately and impact the team. That's not easy but if it was easy we wouldn't be here. We need to find solutions and try."
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us, and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read ourPrivacy Notice.
Content Image
Content Image