Manchester Metropolis are thought-about to be “firmly within the working” to signal Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, regardless of robust competitors from Bayern Munich and curiosity from Actual Madrid.
Wirtz has been on Metropolis’s switch radar for years, since he burst into the Leverkusen first crew at 17 to exchange Kai Havertz upon his 2020 transfer to Chelsea.
The attacking midfielder suffered an ACL tear within the early spring of 2022, which dominated him out for ten months till the next 12 months. However there was no lasting injury, with Wirtz central to Leverkusen’s epic 2023/24 marketing campaign, which yielded a first-ever Bundesliga title, DFB Pokal and run to the Europa League last. The latter was the one sport they misplaced all season.
Wirtz has remained a switch goal for Europe’s greatest and most formidable golf equipment following one other robust season in 2024/25. However Metropolis’s probabilities seemed to have been fading as hypothesis mounted that he was closing in on a transfer to home giants Bayern.
However The Telegraph has reported that Wirtz’s dad and mom, who symbolize him slightly than an out of doors agent, have made a “whistle-stop in Manchester”, confirming they’re nonetheless within the race. Hans Wirtz, the daddy, was noticed arriving at Maastricht airport off a flight from Blackpool, a quiet provincial airport an hour or so up the Lancashire coast from the far busier hub that’s Manchester.
In Germany, SportBild writes {that a} “concrete provide” from Manchester Metropolis has landed at Leverkusen’s door. Bayern haven’t but tabled their very own bid however are rumoured to be getting ready a €100m (£84m) proposal. Leverkusen are asking as a lot as €150m (£127m).
The scale of the Metropolis provide has not been disclosed within the reporting, however signing Wirtz may problem their membership document switch, which presently stands on the £100m paid for Jack Grealish in 2021.
Wirtz is seen as the best substitute for Kevin De Bruyne, who’s leaving the membership on the finish of his contract after recent phrases weren’t provided. Metropolis have additionally been linked with the likes of Nottingham Forest vice-captain Morgan Gibbs-White and Barcelona’s Dani Olmo as doable options.
Pep Guardiola’s aspect are moreover contemplating central midfielders too – together with AC Milan ‘quantity eight’ Tijjani Reijnders.
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