Arsenal slammed over attempts to sign Euro 2024 superstar

Carlo Garganese

• Updated: 26 Nov 2024 08:55 GMT
• 3 min read

Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro has hit out at Arsenal and all other clubs pushing to sign Florian Wirtz.

Wirtz is the star man of a Leverkusen team that took Germany and Europe by storm last term, and he has inevitably generated interest from some huge clubs.

There have been strong reports in recent weeks that Arsenal are pushing hard to sign Wirtz in 2025, with the Gunners ready to pay €100 million to bring the attacking midfielder to the Premier League.

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Carro is not happy with the constant speculation about Arsenal, Real Madrid and other clubs, and he also is confident that Wirtz is going nowhere.

“Very high and why shouldn’t they be high?” Carro said.

“As long as he has a contract here, as long as he feels comfortable here, as long as he knows that he can play top football here and has a top team and can celebrate successes, then he is happy.

“The thoughts of all the players, coaches, coaching staff, and management of the club are in the here and now. We have enough to do on the pitch until the end of the year.

“It often annoys me that there is such speculation. I can admit that.

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“But the here and now is important, nobody is interested in next season at the moment and nothing has been finalised.”

Wirtz at Bayer Leverkusen

Wirtz joined Bayer Leverkusen at the age of 16 after spending 10 years at youth club FC Koln.

He immediately developed into one of the most exciting young talents in German football, becoming Leverkusen’s youngest-ever Bundesliga debutant at the age of just 17 years and 15 days.

His rapid rise was tested when he tore his ACL as an 18 year old in 2022.

After missing 10 months of action, Wirtz returned and he soon reached even bigger heights during a historic 2023-24 season.

Leverkusen went the entire Bundesliga season unbeaten as they stormed to the title. They also won the DFB-Pokal and went so close to an unbeaten treble as they fell at the final hurdle in the Europa League final to Atalanta.

Wirtz played a key role in Leverkusen’s success with 18 goals and 20 assists in all competitions.

He was named Bundesliga Player of the Season and also impressed at Euro 2024 with two goals before Germany’s controversial quarter final exit to Spain.

Wirtz has seven goals and three assists in 18 games so far this season.