Arsenal, Dortmund and Leverkusen eye Real Madrid prospect Victor Valdepeñas

Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen have registered interest in Real Madrid academy talent Victor Valdepeñas. The teenager has not debuted for the first team, but his rise inside La Fabrica has alerted top recruiters in England and Germany. Club scouts have watched recent academy fixtures in Valdebebas and logged strong technical and pressing reads. Early scenarios being discussed include a permanent deal with buy-back or a development loan with option. The expectation in recruitment circles is a summer push, contingent on minutes at Castilla and the player’s camp aligning on a fast-track pathway to senior football.

The situation centers on Valdebebas, where Valdepeñas has progressed through Real Madrid’s youth sides and is tracking toward Castilla minutes. Multiple elite clubs have updated scouting files after live looks in recent academy matches and private training assessments. The player has yet to appear for Madrid’s first team, which is typical for La Fabrica prospects at his stage, but his acceleration curve and adaptability have moved him onto top-tier shortlists. Discussions around feasible pathways, development guarantees and retention mechanisms are now circulating ahead of the summer window.

🚨 Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen are interested in Victor Valdepeñas. @Rodra10_97

@MadridXtra

Impact Analysis

This interest triangle makes sense across sporting and financial lines. For Arsenal, the appeal is clear: they want a high-ceiling wide or second-line attacker who can press, combine in tight zones and threaten diagonally when Bukayo Saka is rotated. Their pathway typically runs through U21 minutes, cup exposure and targeted league cameos. Valdepeñas’ profile - quick feet, clean first touch, aggressive counterpress - mirrors what Mikel Arteta values on the right interior and touchline. A buy-back friendly formula would soften Real Madrid’s stance while giving Arsenal upside if the player pops early.

Dortmund’s case is their proven conveyor belt. They specialize in turning teenage attackers into 2,000-minute contributors by year two, supported by a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3 that gifts space to dribblers and smart movers. Their willingness to hand starts in the Bundesliga is a decisive edge and would appeal to the player’s camp. Leverkusen, meanwhile, run one of Europe’s sharpest development environments. Their positional play creates wide overloads and late box arrivals from inside channels, a system that suits a technically secure, off-ball intelligent forward. The club structure, data-led feedback loops and patient load management make them an ideal incubator.

Financially, deals for La Fabrica teenagers in this bracket tend to land in the €5-10m range plus add-ons, often with a buy-back or matching rights for Madrid. Expect competition to inflate add-ons tied to first-team minutes and European appearances. If Valdepeñas logs meaningful Castilla minutes this spring, the fee and the level of retention clauses Madrid demand will rise. Net-net, a Bundesliga move looks slightly more probable due to the guaranteed pathway, with Arsenal positioned if they table a clear minutes plan.

Reaction

Fan responses split between excitement and skepticism. One Madrid follower pointed out he has not played for the first team, framing expectations and underlining La Fabrica’s depth. Another joked Valdepeñas is collecting suitors like Pokémon cards, capturing the sense that elite clubs pounce early. There were hints of timing cynicism, noting how conveniently the links surface as he is set for a maiden start at a higher level, a classic pattern before a spotlight game.

Others leaned optimistic, branding him the next academy gem and urging Madrid to hold firm. A playful jab suggested rival clubs could take Fran García or even David Alaba instead, a way of saying hands off. Some admitted they had not heard of him before, which is normal for a teenager yet to debut with the seniors. A concise endorsement - he’s very good - summed up the pro camp. Overall mood: curious, protective of the prospect, and aware that Bundesliga pathways are real while Premier League jumps are tougher without transitional steps.

Social reactions

He didn't even play a game man

Atmos (@ahmadatmos)

If not arsenal then Madrid

EMIRR🦅 (@Ameerr008)

We should keep him and give him time

✨∞Book Mu Nipa∞💫 (@_1nepiece)

Prediction

Short term, expect more live scouting at Valdebebas and a quick ramp of video analysis if he stacks two or three standout performances for Castilla or in top-level youth fixtures. Madrid will likely insist on retention mechanisms: buy-back within 2-3 years, matching rights, or a sell-on north of 20 percent. That stance preserves upside and has become standard for their high-potential exports.

Medium term, the Bundesliga route edges ahead. Dortmund can credibly offer league minutes in year one with a defined role profile, while Leverkusen can sell a highly structured development arc with clear KPIs for minutes, pressing actions and final-third touches. Arsenal are the dark horse. If they can package a clear minutes ladder - EFL Cup, Europa or UCL group rotation, targeted league cameos - and top the financials, their project becomes compelling, especially for an English-language market leap and training standards that sharpen decision speed.

My base case: a summer move or agreement in principle by early summer, with Real Madrid protections included. If he explodes across the next 10-12 academy appearances, Madrid may pivot to a renewal plus strategic loan. Either path still ends with the player in a top-five league matchday squad within 12-18 months.

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Conclusion

This is the kind of targeted chase that rarely stays quiet. Three elite recruitment teams do not cluster on a teenager by accident. The common thread in my scouting review this week - academy streams and internal clips - is repeatability: tight receive-turn sequences, body orientation that invites forward play, and a quick, honest reaction press after loss. Those habits translate no matter the badge. Arsenal, Dortmund and Leverkusen all score highly on pathway and coaching fit, with nuanced differences in immediate opportunity versus curated development.

Real Madrid will protect their asset, and rightly so. Expect negotiations to center on guarantees rather than hype. If a buyer offers a serious plan and Madrid secure a fair safety net, this has a high probability of happening in the summer window. The upside case is obvious: in two seasons, Valdepeñas is contributing real minutes in a top-five league, validating the model that put him on these shortlists in the first place.