Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz is the subject of transfer interest from Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester City ahead of the summer window opening
Manchester City have shown their hand in the race for Florian Wirtz and are pushing hard to sign the Bayer Leverkusen star. Wirtz has been earmarked as a replacement for the departing Kevin De Bruyne and was reportedly in England on Tuesday to hear City’s sales pitch first-hand.
Wirtz has scored 16 goals and provided 13 assists in 44 appearances for Leverkusen this season and looks certain to leave in the summer transfer window. The 22-year-old is under contract with the German club until June 2027, but they know the time is right to sell for the best price.
Bayern Munich have made no secret of their interest, with club chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge talking up his ability earlier this year. Real Madrid are also interested and Xabi Alonso’s pending move from Leverkusen to Madrid could strengthen their hand.
However, City have now officially joined the race, having received Wirtz and his father on Tuesday, according to Bild. Leverkusen are well aware of the interest and have slapped a €150million (£126.2m) price tag on their star player.
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City may well have to one-up Bayern, who are reportedly prepared to offer €100m (£84.7m) for his signature. There had previously been reports that Wirtz only had eyes for Bayern, who have a history of snapping up the Bundesliga’s best talent, but those reports have been rubbished by Alonso.
“Florian Wirtz didn’t tell me that he only wants to go to Bayern,” he said last week when asked about the rumour. “This is not my information.”
City signed Nico Gonzalez, Omar Marmoush, Vitor Reis and Abdukodir Khusanov in the January transfer window and are ready to further refresh their side this summer. Wirtz fits the profile of the players Pep Guardiola likes and the City boss will reportedly personally try to convince him to move to the Premier League.
Wirtz has been open about his desire for a move, but it remains to be seen where he ends up. “I have great respect for the guys here in Leverkusen, who come from South America or Africa, for example, and leave their families and surroundings behind for their careers,” he told Sports Illustrated Germany recently.
“I’m definitely keen to leave my comfort zone at some point and experience something new. I know the football changing rooms well enough and am convinced that I would quickly find a place anywhere.”
His comments followed those of Rummenigge, who called him “the best player in Germany”, and said he makes “no secret of the fact that it must clearly be our goal to sign Wirtz”.
The Bayern legend added: “Everyone at FC Bayern agrees that he is exactly the player we want to sign. Not to weaken Leverkusen, but to strengthen us.”
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