Real Madrid and Manchester City have constantly come up against each other in the Champions League in recent years. It makes sense as they are two of the best teams in world football at the moment. And most of those contests have been close, except for the one time Pep Guardiola's side completely outplayed Los Blancos. Then again, it is the team from Spain that has come out on top more often.
It looks like the two teams could soon find themselves competing for the signature of one of the best players in world football right now. Who are we talking about?
Florian Wirtz, the German international who guided Bayer Leverkusen to an unexpected Bundesliga triumph last season. He stayed put with the club but is widely expected to leave next summer.
Wirtz has been linked with Real Madrid for years. On the other hand, it looks like Manchester City could end up pushing to sign him as a potential replacement for Kevin De Bruyne. As reported by Football Insider, Mick Brown said:
"He’s definitely on their list of targets from what I’ve heard.
“He comes with a very good reputation and he’s done a fantastic job at Leverkusen.
“They’ll be pushing to get that deal done, there’s no doubt about that.
“The one thing about De Bruyne, as well as his obvious talent, is the level of experience he’s got at the top level after his time with City.
“Now, we’re talking about a young player from Germany who isn’t exactly a direct replacement for that.
“Of course, when you’re replacing a player like De Bruyne there are certain compromises you have to make because you can’t just go like-for-like.
“City already have players who could step into that role.
“The issue is whether they are good enough to help them compete to win European cups.
“I think Wirtz is the type of player who can help them continue to compete at the top level, especially given his age.
“These are the types of players City should be going for, and as far as I’m aware, the ones they are going for. He fits the mould perfectly."
Manchester City will be pushing to sign top Real Madrid target
It is expected to take a major transfer fee, north of €100 million, to sign Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. That figure should not come as a problem to either Real Madrid or Manchester City, if they really want the German youngster.
It is worth pointing out that current Bayer Leverkusen manager, Xabi Alonso, is rumoured to be a Real Madrid target as well, to replace Carlo Ancelotti in the future. So, their potential interest in Wirtz would make a ton of sense.
Let's see how things play out in this transfer saga. Do not be surprised if Wirtz turns out to be the most high-profile transfer in the summer of 2025. But where will he end up?