The race at Florian Wirtz continues … but it has just lost a serious pretender. While several great people from Europe covet the nugget of Bayer Leverkusen, a major club has just withdrawn from the discussions. And this withdrawal changes the situation significantly for the transfer of the one who dazzled the 2024-2025 season. With 16 goals and 15 assists in 46 games, Wirtz has become one of the most prominent profiles on the market. But at this level, every detail counts, especially when it comes to a potentially historical deal.
Manchester City abandons the Wirtz track
According to the BBC, Manchester City decided to throw in the towel. The reason? The staggering cost of the operation. Between transfer compensation and salary charges, the total amount could have exceeded 300 million euros, the biggest investment in the history of the club. Despite Pep Guardiola's pronounced interest, Citizens' leaders judge the maneuver too risky economically. It is therefore a blow for the Catalan technician, in search of new blood in the middle after a disappointing season on certain levels.
This withdrawal opens a boulevard in Liverpool, now seen as the favorite to attach the services of the German prodigy. The club has already activated the Jeremie Frimpong clause, another talent for Leverkusen, and could continue with Wirtz as a recruit star. Arne Slot and Richard Hughes would have taken a decisive lead in the discussions, also taking advantage of a preserved budget in recent months. A double blow that would immediately give a new face in the middle of the Reds.
Wirtz too expensive: Manchester City lets go!
Bayern and the others still in ambush
Obviously, Bayern Munich did not say its last word. The Bavarian giant dreams of repatriating the playmaker in his ranks, even if English competition remains fierce. Other clubs, such as Real Madrid or PSG, have expressed distance interest, but without taking action. City withdrawal could however reactivate certain tracks that have remained silent so far, especially if Liverpool is struggling to conclude.
At just 22 years old, Florian Wirtz was at a turning point in his young career. A true conductor of Bayer, he now seems ready to cross a CAP, in a club in the project cut for him. The abandonment of Manchester City does not sign the end of the soap, quite the contrary. It may mark the start of the final phase, where each negotiation, each offer, each promise will weigh heavy. And summer could still reserve a few surprises.
