Florian Wirtz, the 21-year-old German sensation, is set to become one of the biggest names of the upcoming summer transfer window. Under contract with Bayer Leverkusen until June 2027, his future remains uncertain – and closely tied to what happens with his current coach, Xabi Alonso, who is a top target for Real Madrid. Should the Spanish tactician leave the club, Wirtz may follow.
It is no secret that Wirtz is also very much on Real Madrid’s agenda and has been for quite some time now. According to BILD (h/t AS), if he does move, his first choice is Real Madrid, followed by Manchester City and Bayern Munich. Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro tried to quiet speculation recently, reiterating that the youngster is contracted for two more years and is expected to stay. However, despite the German champions’ reluctance to sell, he continues to attract serious interest.
Bayern Munich are eager to reunite Wirtz with Jamal Musiala, recreating their promising partnership from the German national team. Talks between the Bavarians and the 21-year-old’s camp have been ongoing for weeks. On top of that, Manchester City have identified Wirtz as the ideal successor to Kevin De Bruyne. Pep Guardiola is a huge admirer of the young playmaker and sees him as the injection of quality and youth the Premier League giants need after a poor season.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid remains quietly attentive to Wirtz’s situation. Signing the Leverkusen star is not a current priority at the Bernabeu, but the club never says no to elite talent. Should the Bundesliga sensation become available, his signing could quickly become a topic of discussion at the Spanish capital club. If they come forward, the youngster would prefer a move to Madrid as he sees the club as his best chance to win the Champions League and potentially the Ballon d’Or in the future.
For now, though, Wirtz plans to wait until the end of May to assess how the season finishes before making a decision. Much will depend on whether Alonso remains at Leverkusen.
In other news, Real Madrid does not have long to mourn over their elimination from the UEFA Champions League as they take to the field against Athletic Club in La Liga tomorrow night. After the disastrous defeat to Arsenal, they do not face any respite as they take on Ernesto Valverde’s side in what will be a gruelling clash. The calendar ahead is not easy in any measure either, for Getafe and Barcelona are next.
Given the difficult schedule ahead, coach Carlo Ancelotti is considering making rotations with the Copa del Rey final in mind. The extent to which he should rotate, however, is a massive debate in his mind. Ancelotti prioritises the Copa del Rey final against Barcelona as it is the most direct route for his side to a trophy. It is on his mind to make some key rotations against Athletic Club to keep players fresh for the cup final, although it is also critical to note that the game against the Basque side is vital in terms of the league race.
Kylian Mbappe will be unavailable tomorrow while Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal, and Eder Militao are also on the list of absentees. Should he opt to rotate, Ancelotti could turn to the young guns. The likes of Endrick, Brahim Diaz, and Arda Guler might be well-placed to start against Athletic Club should Ancelotti make that decision.
The Real Madrid manager’s choice, however, will likely depend on the result Barcelona can pull off later today against Celta Vigo. A defeat against Athletic Club could potentially leave Los Blancos seven points behind Barcelona, which would kill off any hopes in La Liga. With Getafe away from home also a gruelling clash ahead, Ancelotti must decide if he prioritises the cup or the league.
The dressing room is slowly losing faith in the manager, and it remains to be seen if Ancelotti can turn his situation around. Tomorrow’s game will be crucial, especially after three defeats in the team’s last four games.
Shifting focus back to Bayern Munich, their dream of winning the UEFA Champions League in 2025 at the Allianz Arena ended with a 3-4 loss on aggregate against Inter Milan. After their 11-year run of winning the Bundesliga title was halted by Bayer Leverkusen in the 2023-24 season, head coach Vincent Kompany reflected on the exit and claimed his side’s full focus is on winning against Heidenheim on Saturday.
“We’re very pragmatic about everything at the moment. We want to use everything we can use so that we’re better in the next match. You can’t change the past. In the next matches, we can show how good we are and what we want to do,” said Kompany in the pre-game press conference.
The Bavarians are currently six points clear of Leverkusen, and with five games remaining, the side is well poised to lift the Bundesliga shield. Bayern’s sporting director Christoph Freund claimed Bayern had a ‘big dream’ regarding their UCL campaign but believes his side remains on a good path.
As for individual performances, Harry Kane continues to shine, scoring his 24th goal in the 2024/25 Bundesliga season. This prolific form comes as Bayern Munich looks to secure their title while reflecting on their Champions League exit.
Berlin’s UEFA Champions League finals on home soil continue to haunt Bayern Munich, and this season’s early exit has raised tough questions about the club’s future, squad structure, and financial strategy. After the heartbreak of losing the 2012 final to Chelsea at the Allianz Arena, Bayern’s 2025 Champions League hopes were dashed once more - this time in the quarterfinals by a disciplined Inter Milan side.
The loss marked the German champion’s fourth quarterfinal exit in the past five seasons. “Business as usual is no option,” Germany’s Kicker magazine commented, urging a comprehensive squad overhaul and a more decisive direction from club leadership.
Team captain Joshua Kimmich echoed the growing concern, saying the team had “too many games where we did alright, but lost,” and admitted Bayern had been fortunate just to reach the knockout stage, having narrowly advanced through the playoff round.
“We haven’t beaten many top European sides this season,” said the 30-year-old midfielder. “Expenses and revenues are dangerously imbalanced. We might be on eye-level with them, but we can’t beat them.” Winning only the Bundesliga title in 2025 - following a trophy-less 2024 campaign that also saw exits from the Champions League and the German Cup - falls short of expectations, Kimmich added.
Following costly contract extensions for Alphonso Davies, Manuel Neuer, Jamal Musiala, and Kimmich himself, German media are now calling for reinforcements in Bayern’s inconsistent defense, as well as a reliable backup for striker and England captain Harry Kane. The Bild tabloid has reported growing tensions within Bayern’s leadership, speculating that board member for sport Max Eberl could be under pressure.
Die Welt questioned whether Bayern’s current squad is still at an elite European level, while Sport1 pointed to a “lack of resilience” within the team. Meanwhile, some outlets suggest the honeymoon may be over for 39-year-old head coach Vincent Kompany. With expectations rising and performances under scrutiny, Kompany’s future could depend on the team’s progress next season.
Critics also took issue with Eberl’s recent comments framing the season as a success, calling them misleading in light of Bayern’s failures in Europe. Many are now demanding what they describe as an “honest” post-season analysis.
