Wirtz door closes for Chelsea and Liverpool but Musiala door opens

Tom Weber

28 Nov 2023 04:52 CST
3 min read

Florian Wirtz, Bayer Leverkusen, Jamal Musiala, Matthijs de Ligt, Bayern, 2023/24 — © ProShots

Florian Wirtz is not keen on heading abroad at this stage in his career - but this could be good news for Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid.

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The Bayer Leverkusen star is one of Europe's most sought-after commodities. At just 20, Wirtz is already one of the Bundesliga's best players and worries that his ACL injury would hamper his development can be put to bed for good: he is arguably better now than he was before.

The German has racked up a whopping six goals and ten assists in 18 games in all competitions this season for Xabi Alonso's high-flying Werkself. This spectacular form has, unsurprisingly, reignited the interest in him from Europe's elite with Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid all said to be eyeing Wirtz.

Yet, according to Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg, the youngster is not convinced that heading abroad straight from Leverkusen is the best career choice. The 20-year-old, it is claimed, would much rather join Bayern before making the jump to a foreign country. While this is, in a way, bad news for his suitors, it could open up an enticing opportunity.

The Musiala factor

Everything will ultimately hinge on Bayern. Plettenberg asserts that Wirtz tops their shortlist for 2024 and 2025, but signing him won't be a walk in the park, of course. The expectation is that Leverkusen will demand at least €100 million for his services.

Moreover, there is Jamal Musiala. Same age, same kind of player, Musiala is just as highly rated as Wirtz and plays a similar role to his compatriot. Having both on the same team could be deadly for opponents, but it could also lead to obvious problems with them occupying the same positions and spaces.

There is also an argument to be made that Bayern won't be able to afford Wirtz unless they cash in on Musiala. Like Wirtz, he has been linked with Liverpool, Chelsea and Real Madrid. If the Bavarians are desperate to land the Leverkusen man, Musiala, who grew up in England and has said that he wants to play in the Premier League, could become available.