Arsenal and Manchester City both “want” Stuttgart midfielder Chema Andres, according to reports in the Spanish media.

Defensa Central claim that the two Premier League rivals would be keen on signing the 20-year-old at the end of the season.

Andres has been described as a “Rodri-type” player, which is an apt description both in terms of his position (he is a holding midfield player) and his height (they are both roughly 6ft 3).

The Spanish Under 21 international has impressed since moving to Stuttgart back in July, having made 12 appearances so far for the Bundesliga side.

Another team has a buyback option on Andres

Stuttgart signed the midfielder from Real Madrid for €3m and the La Liga giants are believed to have included a buyback clause in their agreement.

It means that Real are very much in control of Andres’s future, but a lot will hinge on whether he would actually feature on a regular basis if he does return to the Bernabeu.

Manager Xabi Alonso is not short of options in midfield, with the likes of Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Fede Valverde and Dani Ceballos all available for selection.

What do Arsenal fans need to know about the player?

Andres started his playing career in Betera and Levante’s youth teams prior to moving to Real in 2018. He progressed through the club’s youth ranks before making his senior debut for the B team, otherwise known as Castilla.

The youngster came on at halftime during a 1-0 win over Recreativo Granada in May 2024. Just over six months later, in January 2025, he made his first appearance for the first team during a Copa Del Rey tie against Minera, playing the final 30 minutes of a 5-0 win.

A few weeks later, Andres got his first minutes in La Liga, coming on as a substitute against Las Palmas. After making a cameo on the final day of the season versus Real Sociedad and being an unused sub at the Club World Cup, he was sold to Stuttgart.

Read more about the Arsenal First Team Squad for 2025/26 here