Real Madrid have intensified their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen’s prodigious talent Florian Wirtz, who appears likely to leave Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025, reports Florian Plettenberg.
In fact, the Spanish champions have already initiated discussions with the player’s representatives, signalling their serious intent to secure the 21-year-old’s signature.
Wirtz a man in demand
One of the most exciting young footballers in the game currently, Wirtz is set to spark a major transfer battle for his services come 2025.
Real Madrid appear to be at the forefront of the interest in the 21-year-old German international but Bayern Munich are also very much in the picture for his signing.
Meanwhile, Manchester City have also entered the fray, while several other clubs like Liverpool and Barcelona also admire him.
As such, there appears to be a big war brewing for his signature and naturally Real Madrid have upped the ante to beat the competition by holding initial talks with Wirtz’s camp about a possible transfer.
Bayer Leverkusen’s stance on their prized asset
Despite the growing interest from Europe’s elite clubs, Bayer Leverkusen maintain hope of retaining their prized asset, who remains under contract until 2027.
The German champions had previously explored the possibility of extending his current deal by an additional year, though these discussions have not progressed to formal negotiations.
The report indicates that Leverkusen would prefer to see Wirtz move to Real Madrid rather than domestic rivals Bayern Munich, should a transfer become inevitable.
This stance potentially strengthens Real Madrid’s position in any future negotiations, despite the absence of formal talks between the clubs at present.
Wirtz’s future could potentially be tied with that of his manager at Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso.
After all, the Spanish tactician is also a target for Real Madrid to succeed Carlo Ancelotti at the helm of affairs, which could play a part in convincing the German wonderkid to choose the Santiago Bernabeu.
*Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.