Owen Hargreaves says Mikel Arteta ‘would love’ to sign Bayer Leverkusen star for Arsenal

Owen Hargreaves believes Mikel Arteta would love to sign Florian Wirtz for Arsenal but has backed the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder to join either Real Madrid or Manchester City.

Wirtz, who missed Leverkusen’s Champions League group stage campaign two years ago due to a cruciate ligament injury, delivered an impressive performance in his first appearance in Europe’s elite competition on Thursday evening as Bayer Leverkusen ran out 4-0 winners away to Feyenoord.

The 21-year-old scored twice in the first half and was crowned Player of the Match for his display against the Dutch side.

The Germany international has already been tipped to leave Leverkusen at the end of the season and Hargreaves believes all of Europe’s top clubs should be in the running to sign the midfielder.

‘I mean, he’s a brilliant young player in terms of goals and assists, his numbers last season were crazy,’ Hargreaves told TNT Sport.

‘For a young kid, he’s producing for Germany and Leverkusen.

‘He’s not a centre forward, you think about Toni [Kroos] leaving Real Madrid, I think he could go in and learn that role.

‘Toni started as a No.10 and then gradually worked back. I think Florian can eventually control a game.

‘If I was him it’s either [Manchester] City or Real. I’m sure Mikel would love him at Arsenal, too. He’s that good, he makes every team better.

‘But he is a No.10, but I just think he’s so smart. I think everybody would [build their team around him] and I think he’s so smart with his dad, he’ll know, ‘right, I’m going to go there because that’s the best fit for me’.’

Speaking after Wirtz’s impressive performance on Thursday night, Leverkusen head coach, Xabi Alonso, said: ‘I’m happy for him that the first Champions League game was so good, that’s a good feeling.

‘He has a lot to do to show everyone how good he is.’

Leverkusen midfielder Granit Xhaka added: ‘I’m really happy for Flo because he works really hard every day.’

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