Real Madrid with free run at Wirtz? Bayern 'shock' makes favourites clear

Tom Weber

Updated: 18 Sep 2024 13:48 CDT
4 min read

Bayern Munich view Florian Wirtz as their top target for 2025, but Bayer Leverkusen will, of course, have a big say in the youngster's future.

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The attacking midfielder is having the time of his life under Bayer 04 boss Xabi Alonso. Last season, Wirtz enjoyed the best year of his career as his side completed a historic unbeaten domestic campaign that saw them win the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal.

Wirtz has not slowed down and is once again one of Leverkusen's key players. The 21-year-old's future continues to be hotly debated as the wonderkid obviously has no shortage of suitors.

The likes of Man City and Real Madrid have been linked with Wirtz, but the side most prominently associated with the German international has been Bayern Munich.

The Bavarians have made him their top target for 2025 and they have been courting him for years. While it has been claimed that the player would prefer a move to Bayern before eventually heading abroad, there is the potential problem of Bayer Leverkusen.

Leverkusen to ruin Wirtz deal?

The reigning German champions have foiled Bayern's transfer plans on more than one occasion, most recently in the summer when they refused to sell Jonathan Tah to their Bavarian counterparts on the cheap.

At the height of this drawn-out saga, which occupied German media all summer, Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro stated that, if it were up to him, he would never do business with Bayern director Max Eberl, a comment for which he was later forced to apologise.

But this incident illustrated the rivalry between the two clubs, a rivalry which was only further stoked - and perhaps taken to the next level - by the Tah saga. Regarding the future of Wirtz, it could be a similar situation.

Indeed, according to BILD, Leverkusen already 'shocked' Bayern in the past on the topic of Wirtz. The Munich giants have been courting the youngster since 2020 when Uli Hoeneß invited his parents to his Tegernsee mansion.

Wirtz is represented by his father and, in 2022, Bayern attempted a new approach. However, when Leverkusen got wind of the advances, they moved swiftly to tie Wirtz to the club long-term, getting him to agree to a new contract within a week of Bayern making contact.

This was done despite the fact that Wirtz was nursing an ACL injury at the time and Bayern, it is claimed, were left 'shocked' by the decision. In fact, they only found out about it via official channels as Wirtz's father reportedly 'ghosted' them.

The biggest stumbling block any club will face when trying to sign Wirtz will be his price tag, which could clock in in excess of €150 million. But as far as Bayern are concerned, dealing with Leverkusen may be an even more serious issue.