Manchester City have been boosted in their bid to sign 'perfect' Florian Wirtz after a 'curious' development in the race for the German.
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'Curious' Florian Wirtz developmentCity are keen to sign GermanWill battle Bayern for expensive buyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
According to CF Bayern Insider, the noise around Wirtz signing a new deal at Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the year has gone very quiet, suggesting he is open to a move to City or Bayern. City are keen to buy him as their Kevin De Bruyne replacement.
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Wirtz will not come cheap, with a transfer fee of €150m expected to be required to sign him. City have the edge in this respect, with that kind of money available to spend, while Bayern would need to sell players to raise those funds.
WHAT CF BAYERN SAID
The report states: "Leverkusen made clear that if Wirtz signs a new contract he'd have a release clause (which should be around €120m [£102.9m] for 2026. If they don't agree this extension – they have to sell him this year. As long as he's not signing the new extension, he's for sale. Fernando Carro, Leverkusen CEO, has said he's a €150m [£128.6m] player. This is the price tag they'll let him go for and they've yet to come up with a new number since! So it could get expensive. Bayern are putting pressure to get Florian Wirtz, but also Manchester City are a big rival, as Pep Guardiola wants a successor for Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan. Wirtz would be perfect for this idea."
Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WIRTZ?
Wirtz is set to be on the move this summer should he not sign that new deal with Bayer Leverkusen. Until then, he will be focused on attempting to usurp Bayern at the top of the Bundesliga, with his side next in action against Union Berlin on Saturday.