Affengruber, 25, has become one of the most talked-about defensive players on the continent following a standout debut season in La Liga. According to Laliga News, AC Milan are tracking the centre-back with serious intent, though they face significant competition.
Manchester United, Juventus, Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are all monitoring the situation, with Tutto Juve reporting United are currently "most interested" and in the "front row" for his signature. Elche are understood to be holding out for a figure in the region of €20 million.
The player's rise has been rapid. Affengruber joined Elche as a free agent in the summer of 2024 after leaving Austrian club Sturm Graz at the end of his contract. He had no existing profile in a major European league. By the end of the 2025-26 season he had made 36 appearances across LaLiga and the Copa del Rey, contributed to Elche's survival campaign, and earned his first senior cap for the Austrian national team.
His contract with the Spanish side runs until June 2027. With just one year remaining, Elche are aware they risk losing him cheaply if no deal is agreed this summer. The €20 million figure represents a clean profit on a player who cost nothing.
For Milan, Affengruber would serve as a defensive cornerstone for the rebuild taking shape under incoming manager Oliver Glasner. The Austrian boss, who led Crystal Palace to Conference League glory last month, is understood to have given his approval to a move to San Siro and is awaiting formal confirmation.
A centre-back and a head coach of the same nationality arriving together at one of European football's most storied clubs would be a statement of intent.
Aston Villa, confirmed by Laliga News as another scouting the player, add further Premier League competition to the chase.
Elche will not wait indefinitely. The window is open, the price is set, and the field is wide.