Arsenal have been observing 22-year-old defender Miguel Gutiérrez since he made his debut for Real Madrid in 2021. As stated by Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners recently dispatched scouts to evaluate the young player, who is currently under contract with Girona until 2027.
Although no specific rivals for Gutiérrez’s transfer have been identified, there is widespread speculation that Real Madrid might be interested in re-signing him.
Gutiérrez progressed through Real Madrid’s academy before joining Girona in a €4 million transfer in 2022. As part of the deal, a 50% sell-on clause was included. However, with Real Madrid prioritizing Fran Garcia and potentially eyeing Alphonso Davies, a return to the club appears improbable at this stage.
While Girona prefer to keep the full-back until the summer, a substantial offer during the January window could compel the Catalan club to reconsider.
### Are Arsenal Looking for a New Left-Back?
Following Kieran Tierney’s loan move to Real Sociedad in the summer and Nuno Tavares’ loan transfer to Nottingham Forest, which includes a purchase option, Arsenal are actively exploring left-back reinforcements. At present, Oleksandr Zinchenko is the club’s only senior left-back.
Gutiérrez’s standout performances for Girona, who currently lead La Liga, have caught the eye of scouts. The 22-year-old has recorded one assist in 12 appearances across all competitions, demonstrating his strong defensive and offensive abilities.
To date, Gutiérrez has made 46 appearances for Girona, attracting interest from top-tier clubs, with Arsenal closely following his development.
A key attribute of Gutiérrez’s game is his proficiency as an inverted full-back, aligning well with Mikel Arteta’s tactical system. Arteta places a high value on full-backs who can move inside into midfield to support transitions between defense and attack, making Gutiérrez a strong fit for Arsenal’s style of play.