Arsenal are reportedly set to launch a formal £25 million offer to sign Real Sociedad winger Ander Barrenetxea, according to a report from Sports Boom.
The Premier League champions are understood to view the 24-year-old Spaniard as the ideal long-term replacement for Leandro Trossard, who is attracting significant interest this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur are also firmly in the race, with Roberto De Zerbi’s side identifying Barrenetxea as a viable option to reinforce their attacking options on the flanks.
Aston Villa have also been credited with interest in the winger, making this a three-way battle among English clubs for his signature.
Barrenetxea has developed into one of Real Sociedad’s most important players since his stunning debut on 22 December 2018, a 1-0 loss to Deportivo Alavés.
At 16 years and 359 days old that night, he became Sociedad’s youngest debutant since 1934, immediately signalling that a special talent had arrived at the Reale Arena.
Since that breakthrough, the winger has gone on to accumulate 234 appearances for the Basque club, registering 28 goals and 18 assists across all competitions.
Barrenetxea also played a significant role in Real Sociedad’s historic Copa del Rey success this season, further cementing his standing as a key figure at the club.
His development is no accident, as Real Sociedad boasted 16 first-team players last season who came through their renowned Zubieta academy, reflecting the club’s deep commitment to homegrown talent.
Despite the Premier League interest, Sociedad are adamant about keeping Barrenetxea and will only entertain talks if a club is willing to trigger his £64 million release clause.
Arsenal’s reported £25 million bid falls well short of that figure, suggesting negotiations could prove complicated before any deal is concluded.
Both Arsenal and Tottenham could benefit from adding a more prolific wide attacker, as Barrenetxea is yet to reach 20 combined goals and assists across his 180 LaLiga appearances for Sociedad.