Arsenal's last-minute bid for Leon Goretzka fails as he stays at Bayern

Arsenal launched a last-minute bid to sign Leon Goretzka on transfer deadline day after Mikel Arteta sought a replacement for the injured Mikel Merino, but the 30-year-old midfielder has opted to remain at Bayern Munich until the end of the season. Goretzka is now expected to headline a major summer transfer battle.

Arteta identified Goretzka as the kind of physical, box-to-box presence needed in midfield, and BILD’s ‘Bayern-Insider’ podcast said Arsenal made a formal proposal shortly before the deadline. The move was complicated by the player’s desire for a structured exit from the Allianz Arena.

Goretzka has endured a turbulent period in Munich, finding himself on the bench in Vincent Kompany’s debut season before returning to the starting XI in 2025-26. He told followers on Instagram he was honoured by the interest from top clubs but remains focused on Bayern; earlier advanced talks with Atletico Madrid also failed to reach a conclusion.