Manchester City and Real Madrid have reportedly suffered a major blow in the pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, who has indicated he wants to join Bayern Munich this summer.
Wirtz has developed a reputation as one of Europe's brightest attacking talents since emerging from Leverkusen's youth system.
The 22-year-old played a key role in Leverkusen's memorable 2023-24 season, scoring 18 goals and providing 20 assists in 49 appearances to help the club complete the domestic double and reach the Europa League final.
Wirtz has continued to shine in the current campaign, having registered 16 goals and 13 assists in 43 matches in all competitions.
However, Wirtz's efforts have not been enough to claim silverware this season, with Leverkusen set to finish in second place after losing out to Bayern in the Bundesliga title race.
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Man City, Real Madrid dealt Wirtz blow
The Germany international will complete the campaign with Leverkusen, before he turns his focus to a potentially big transfer window in his career.
Man City have identified him as a potential option to replace Kevin De Bruyne, along with Nottingham Forest talisman Morgan Gibbs-White.
Real Madrid have also been mentioned as a possible destination, especially as there appears to be a strong chance that Xabi Alonso will leave Leverkusen to take over the reins at the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, according to Sport Bild, Wirtz has made it clear that he has no intention of joining Man City or Real Madrid.
The report claims that he has informed Alonso that he wants to complete a move to Leverkusen's domestic rivals, Bayern.
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Bayern lead Wirtz race
There is a suggestion that Wirtz may have already reached an agreement with Bayern over personal terms, although it is unclear when a potential transfer will take place.
The Bavarians are understood to view him as a top target for the upcoming transfer window, meaning they could look to start negotiations with Leverkusen in the near future.
However, it will likely take a significant fee for Leverkusen to part ways with one of their most prized assets, especially as he still has two years left on his contract.
If Bayern were able to pull off the move, they would be able to field two of Germany's star players in Wirtz and Jamal Musiala.
