Bundesliga Star Prefers Bayern Munich Over Manchester City in Summer Transfer Race | OneFootball

Wirtz’s Bayern Ambition Leaves Madrid and City in the Cold

Wirtz Makes Munich His Mission

Florian Wirtz is not just Bayer Leverkusen’s crown jewel; he’s Germany’s next big midfield maestro. But, as reported by SPORT BILD, the 21-year-old has made a career-defining decision: “He doesn’t want to move to Real or City. He only wants to move to Munich!” In the modern game, where market forces often dictate movement, this kind of clarity is rare—and profoundly telling.

Bayern’s Inside Track

With Wirtz’s father Hans reportedly maintaining “a very close relationship with Uli Hoeneß,” and a rumoured “fundamental agreement” already in place with Bayern Munich, the transfer feels more a matter of when, not if. Though Wirtz is under contract until 2027, that hasn’t deterred Bayern, nor cooled the player’s desire to don red.

Photo IMAGO

Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro’s earlier claim of a €150 million fee—later retracted—hints at how highly the player is valued, even if it muddied the waters. “However, transfer negotiations with Bayern are likely to pick up speed soon. Florian Wirtz is already the record champions’ top transfer target for this summer.”

Madrid and City Snubbed

That two of Europe’s financial titans—Manchester City and Real Madrid—were turned down is staggering. “Real Madrid and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City… have reportedly not been a serious option for the Wirtz family for some time.” It paints a picture of loyalty, strategy, and perhaps unfinished business in Germany.

Alonso’s Crossroads

There’s a subplot, too, involving Xabi Alonso. The Leverkusen boss, “considered the designated successor to Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid,” may have wanted to take Wirtz to the Bernabéu. Instead, he could be left with neither club nor playmaker as Bayern move decisively.

With no comment from either club, silence speaks volumes.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

For Bundesliga supporters—and particularly Bayern Munich fans—this feels like a seismic moment. If Wirtz does sign, it signals a reinvigoration of the Bavarians’ domestic dominance with homegrown brilliance. Bayern have long needed an heir to Müller’s creativity and Kimmich’s vision. In Wirtz, they may finally have both.

But for neutrals and Premier League fans, particularly those of Manchester City, there’s real surprise—and perhaps disappointment. Pep Guardiola has rarely missed out on targets, and yet here’s a generational German talent opting for Bayern over the glamour of the Etihad and the technical paradise of Real Madrid. That’s huge.

For Liverpool fans watching from afar under Arne Slot’s new reign, it underlines the difficulty of luring Europe’s elite without Champions League glory or domestic dominance. Wirtz’s decision also reiterates that Bayern, even amidst rebuilding, remains an irresistible destination.

Meanwhile, Alonso’s Real Madrid trajectory just got bumpier. If the Spaniard was hoping to bring Wirtz to Spain as part of a new project, he’ll have to look elsewhere. Bayern, it seems, still call the shots in German football.