Battle for Real Madrid prodigy heating up amid interest from Arsenal, Dortmund and Milan | OneFootball

As Real Madrid gear up for the summer of 2026, a lot of focus has been on players the club are expected to sign for the season ahead.

However, the Spanish giants are also poised to lose out on a few key players, and one such name could be Victor Valdepenas.

Although the Spanish youth prodigy is not a first-team regular by any means, he is regarded as one of the most talented players coming out of La Fabrica in recent years.

However, amid a lack of first-team action, Valdepenas’ future at Real Madrid remains uncertain, with many expecting him to jump ship at the end of the season.

Bidding war for Valdepenas soon?

According to Diario AS, Valdepenas could soon become a subject of a bidding war, with no less than four clubs interested in his services.

Arsenal, for one, have shown the most concrete interest in the young centre-back, who is known for his technical abilities and versatility at the back.

What’s in store for Valdepenas this coming summer? (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

Although Valdepenas is not Arsenal’s primary option, the Premier League giants are closely monitoring his situation.

AC Milan, too, have recently joined the race to sign the Real Madrid youth prodigy, whose days at Santiago Bernabeu could be numbered.

This is in addition to interest from Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen, who have been monitoring Valdepenas for quite some time and have an excellent reputation for nurturing young talent.

Real Madrid and Valdepenas, for their part, remain calm about the situation. The player’s primary focus is to do well at Santiago Bernabeu, whereas Real Madrid have made sure to tie the player down to a long-term contract.

The release clause was notably increased to €50 million as well, meaning interested parties will have to pay a fortune in order to get their hands on the Real Madrid youth prodigy.