Liverpool like Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz but the Premier League champions face fierce competition and Bayern Munich are still leading the race.
The 22-year-old is one of Europe’s most sought-after attackers and Mail Sport reported on Tuesday how his parents were in England for talks with Manchester City.
There remains an expectation that Wirtz will remain in Germany next season but both Liverpool and City will push to sign him.
Wirtz’s parents travelled to England on Tuesday – but didn’t speak to Pep Guardiola, with the club’s manager out of the region ahead of the FA Cup final this weekend.
City have long since hoped to lure Wirtz to the club and are pressing ahead with attempting to secure a deal in light of Kevin De Bruyne’s departure after 10 years at the Etihad Stadium.
Mail Sport revealed last week that City are awaiting news on discussions between the 22-year-old and his parents, Hans and Karin, over the direction of his career.
Liverpool have launched a move to hijack Manchester City’s bid for Florian Wirtz (pictured)
Arne Slot’s Premier League champions are said to be keeping an eye on the star as they look to add to their attacking ranks
Wirtz, who plays for Bayer Leverkusen, is one of the most sought-after stars in Europe
Wirtz is understood to have softened his stance on joining City in recent months and the Premier League appeals to the attacking midfielder.
But City are not the only club interested, with Bayern Munich also pursuing his signature and Wirtz’s mother of the opinion that he should stay at Bayer Leverkusen for another season. And now, Liverpool are also keen on signing the £126million-rated star.
Pictures published in German newspaper Bild show both of Wirtz’s parents at Maastricht-Aachen Airport in the Netherlands on Monday evening after arriving back from a nine-hour round trip.
Wirtz has 33 goals and assists in 44 matches for Leverkusen this season and Real have been interested in the Germany international.
City’s director of football Hugo Viana is working alongside the outgoing Txiki Begiristain during a handover period across the transfer window.
If Leverkusen opt not to sell their prize asset this summer – or if he choses to stay – Bayern are ready to wait until the summer of 2026 to make a move for the Germany international. It is unclear if City and Liverpool would be too.
Despite prior reports stating Wirtz still has three years remaining on his current deal at Leverkusen, the midfielder’s current contract is set to expire in 2027.
It follows a hugely impressive campaign where Wirtz was vital in Leverkusen’s unprecedented unbeaten Bundesliga season in the 2023-24 season, which also saw them pick up the DFB-Pokal.
Wirtz’s parents haven’t met Pep Guardiola, who was out of the region ahead of the FA Cup final
Wirtz’s father, Hans (left), is believed to favour a switch to fellow German side Bayern Munich, while his mother Karin (right) wants him to stay put
Vincent Kompany’s Bayern Munich were believed to be in pole position but the fee they were reportedly ready to pay was well short of his valuation
Wirtz has made 29 appearances for Germany, scoring six times, and has established himself as one of Europe’s hottest prospects.
Last month, Leverkusen’s CEO Fernando Carro told Radio Marca Wirtz would command a fee of ‘at least €150million’, although he later suggested this was a mistake.
In February, Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge announced they would target Wirtz this summer and it seems as though that is the direction of travel.
In an interview with AZ, Rummenigge said he makes ‘no secret of the fact that it must clearly be our goal to sign Wirtz’.
He added: ‘Everyone at FC Bayern agrees that he is exactly the player we want to sign. Not to weaken Leverkusen, but to strengthen us.’
Bayern’s honorary president Uli Hoeness has also spoken about Wirtz’s qualities in a separate interview with AZ, but admitted there could be financial obstacles.
