BERLIN (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz has seemingly turned down Bayern Munich in favor of a switch to Premier League champion Liverpool.
The 22-year-old Wirtz, who has a contract with Leverkusen to 2027, was a summer target for Bayern with club powerbroker Uli Hoeneß openly calling for the Germany playmaker’s signing.
Sporting director Max Eberl had alluded to Wirtz’ potential arrival when explaining Bayern’s decision not to extend club favorite Thomas Müller’s contract, saying the Bayern fans would understand when they saw who would be arriving at the club in the summer.
But club president Herbert Hainer reportedly told fans this weekend that Eberl had informed him that Wirtz preferred a move to Liverpool.
“I can’t say how matters will proceed with Leverkusen,” Hainer said at a Bayern fan fest, according to the Munich tabloid Abendzeitung.
Bayern had been hoping young stars Wirtz and Jamal Musiala would define a new era at the club.
Summer strategy spoiler
But Wirtz’s rejection upsets the Bavarian powerhouse’s summer strategy and is a blow for a club used to getting its way. Bayern is known for signing its German rivals’ best players, being able to offer more money and title-winning possibilities.
Robert Lewandowski, Mats Hummels and Mario Götze all switched from Borussia Dortmund when it was a genuine challenger, while Dayot Upamecano, Konrad Laimer and Marcel Sabitzer all joined from Leipzig in recent years. Bayern also coaxed coach Julian Nagelsmann from the latter.
Dortmund star Marco Reus bucked the trend when he opted to resist Bayern’s overtures in 2015.
Bayern is expected to sign Leverkusen captain Jonathan Tah after failing to reach agreement for his transfer last year. His Leverkusen contract is expiring at the end of June, meaning Bayern doesn’t need to deal with Leverkusen unless it wants him to play before then. FIFA’s Club World Cup starts June 14.
Earlier this month, Wirtz said he was drawn to the idea of a new challenge and to “leave my comfort zone at some point.”
Wirtz helped Leverkusen to its first ever German league title in 2024, when it completed an unprecedented unbeaten Bundesliga campaign and garnished the season with the German Cup title. This season he chipped in 16 goals across all competitions while setting up 16 more for teammates, but Leverkusen was unable to win any meaningful silverware.
Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso left for Real Madrid and the club looks set to lose key players with Tah certain to leave, Jeremie Frimpong linked with Liverpool, and both Piero Hincapie and Álex Grimaldo indicating they’re open to moves.
Liverpool has emerged as the most likely destination for Wirtz with the player reportedly keen on the switch. Manchester City has dropped out of the race because of the high price tag, the BBC reported, and Madrid seems to be prioritizing a move for Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams.
Leverkusen is reportedly demanding a transfer fee of around 130-150 million euros ($148-171 million) for Wirtz.
If the transfer goes through, it will likely break the British record of 106.7 million pounds (then $131.4 million) that Chelsea agreed to pay Benfica for Enzo Fernández in early 2023.
It would also break the German record of 105 million euros (then $125 million) with possible add-ons taking the fee up to 147 million euros that Barcelona agreed for Ousmane Dembélé from Borussia Dortmund in 2017.
But Wirtz could also potentially stay at Leverkusen another season. The club can also demand a transfer fee in 2026 and it showed last year, by not sanctioning Tah's sale to Bayern, that it won't let key players leave at any price.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Ciarán Fahey, The Associated Press
