The noise is getting a bit louder surrounding a move to Bayern Munich for Bayer Leverkusen ace Florian Wirtz.
Reports are emerging that the Bavarians are the frontrunner in the sweepstakes:
Bayern Munich have emerged as the frontrunner in the pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen standout attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, according to Sky Germany, as relayed by Mundo Deportivo.
The 21-year-old German international, who is also a top target for Real Madrid for 2025, looks set to become one of the most sought-after players in next summer’s transfer window. Despite having a contract with Leverkusen until 2027, Wirtz is widely expected to make a move at the end of this season.
The attacking midfielder’s stock has risen dramatically since his breakthrough in 2022, with his reputation further enhanced after playing a pivotal role in Xabi Alonso’s historic double-winning side that claimed both the Bundesliga and German Cup last season.
Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are said to be leading the chase for his signature, though the Bavarian giants appear to have made the first concrete move. Indeed, as per the report, initial contact has already been established between Bayern’s hierarchy and Wirtz’s representatives.
Sources suggest that Wirtz’s long-term career plan involves remaining in the Bundesliga for a few more years before considering a move abroad. This strategy could give Bayern Munich a significant advantage over Real Madrid, who have made the German sensation a top target for the 2025 summer window.
This development will come as a significant concern for Los Blancos, who were reportedly very confident of their chances of landing Wirtz next year despite the intense competition for his services. That Real Madrid are also targeting a move for Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso adds another layer of intrigue to the developing transfer saga, as it could be a decisive factor. Bayer Leverkusen are expected to demand a fee of around €80 million or higher for their star player in case of a potential sale in the summer.
More than ever, it does feel like Wirtz will make the jump to Bayern Munich during the summer. How much Bayern Munich has to pay for him (fee + salary) remains to be seen, but it will be steep.
Real Madrid extended the contract of Dani Carvajal despite the defender tearing his ACL:
Just hours after Real Madrid announced that Dani Carvajal had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament rupture, Los Blancos have extended his contract.
Carvajal, who will turn 33 in January, is expected to be out for the rest of the season — with his previous deal then expiring in June.
But Real Madrid issued a statement on Sunday which said his contract had been extended to 2026 and, as a club, “would like to show him all its support and affection and wishes him a speedy recovery so that we can enjoy his football on the pitch again as soon as possible.”
The statement added: “He has been part of the first team since 2013, and in his 12 seasons defending our shirt, he has become a legend of Real Madrid and world football.”
As the Bundesliga heads into another early international break, things are starting to take shape. In this episode of ‘The Bundesliga Rundown,’ we dive into Matchday 6, featuring another showdown between the league’s top two teams.
Marcus shares his thoughts on Bayern Munich’s winless run, why Eintracht Frankfurt remains one of the most exciting teams to watch, and why Wolfsburg is performing better than their current league position suggests.
Additionally, Marcus will cover:
- Why Bayern fans shouldn’t be too concerned about the recent winless run.
- Is Omar Marmoush and Hugo Ekitike the most exciting attacking duo in the Bundesliga? Or is it Jonas Wind and Mohamed Amoura?
- Plus, a look at the vibrant, often overlooked football in Germany’s lower divisions.
Eintracht Frankfurt star Omar Marmoush wants a move to the Premier League and Liverpool FC might be willing to help him make it happen:
Omar #Marmoush is on the list of FC Liverpool. The Reds are closely monitoring his situation. #LFC
Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt want to extend his contract early by one year until 2028. Without a release clause.
The top priority for #SGE is to keep the 25-year-old top… pic.twitter.com/tstTIlHOHw
— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) October 8, 2024
Omar #Marmoush is on the list of FC Liverpool. The Reds are closely monitoring his situation. #LFC
Meanwhile, Eintracht Frankfurt want to extend his contract early by one year until 2028. Without a release clause.
The top priority for #SGE is to keep the 25-year-old top striker in the winter.
9 goals and 6 assists in all competitions yet.
You can count Mark Goldbridge as someone who is not in favor of Manchester United hiring Thomas Tuchel:
Mark Goldbridge has branded reports of Manchester United’s interest in former Chelsea and Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel as ‘nonsense’.
He said on Monday:
“Let’s just react to those words before I tell you where it came from, and why I think it’s a load of nonsense. Man United [reportedly] want Tuchel because he’s immediately available, because the ones they really like aren’t available until the summer.
“I just don’t think for one minute INEOS are going to behave like the Glazers. That whole story is whipping up mayhem in the fanbase. The [reported] attraction of Tuchel is that he’s available now – how many more times are we going to make the mistake of jumping to the next thing?
“It’s very clear that Tuchel wasn’t the right guy in May. Was it because he didn’t want it? Was it because they decided Ten Hag was better? I don’t care what the reason is, he wasn’t the right guy in May, so why is he the right guy in October?”
Well, that was a miserable week. After suffering a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa, Bayern Munich head into the October international break after a devastating 3-3 draw to Eintracht Frankfurt. After three games without a win, Vincent Kompany’s meteoric rise at the Bavarian capital has come to a standstill.
In this episode, INNN and Samrin discuss the following:
- How this game repeats a pattern we have seen before.
- What is wrong with the defense? Is it the system or the players?
- Thomas Müller made a difference in attack, but it wasn’t enough.
- Harry Kane has gone missing for three games in a row — what’s going on with him?
- Has Kompany’s system been exposed? What can he change to make it better?
- Is it time to discuss the coach’s job? Obviously not, BUT …
- Is Manuel Neuer a problem? Should he be replaced? Can he?
- How Vincent Kompany has failed to use all the talent at his disposal.
- Expectations for upcoming games, especially Stuttgart and FC Barcelona.
Cristiano Ronaldo wants to bring Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne to Saudi Arabia:
Al Nassr striker Cristiano Ronaldo is “urging” his side to make an attempt to sign Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, according to Mundo Deportivo.
It is reported that Ronaldo thinks the 33-year-old would transform the club, and he is said to have already made contact with the hierarchy amid belief that it is possible to tempt him there with an offer worth $1 million per week.
De Bruyne was on the radar of Al Nassr over the summer when he entered the final year of his contract with Man City, and his future at the Etihad Stadium remains unresolved. He might be required to take a salary reduction on his current £375,000 per week deal to stay with Pep Guardiola’s side, which could open the door for clubs in the Saudi Pro League to make a swoop for his signature.
De Bruyne has made five appearances for City this season, but remains out with an injury he sustained in the 0-0 Champions League draw against Internazionale.
Chelsea FC is reportedly taking a look at Bayer Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface:
Chelsea remain keen on signing Bayer Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface as Enzo Maresca searches for a new striker to bring to Stamford Bridge.
Bayern Munich’s scorching start has hit a little bit of a bump in the road, so this weekend’s match against Eintracht Frankfurt figures to be an important one.
No one — and we mean no one — wants to see the Bavarians enter this break on a three-game winless streak, so let’s get moving!
How does everyone feel about things? Let’s discuss the state of it all. This is what we have on tap for this episode of the Weekend Warm-up Show:
- Breaking down the Vincent Kompany conundrum — it is okay to criticize him as he goes along the path of figuring out how to make Bayern Munich the best possible team it can be. However, it is far too early to jump off the bandwagon (unless you want to pull the Charlie Day “Wild Card” move…which is always acceptable).
- An injury to Jamal Musiala has some fans holding their collective breath.
- Analyzing the German national team roster selections and how things might play out. Also, taking a look at who got left out from Germany’s squad.
- A show wrap up that includes some final thoughts headed into the weekend, plus an update on the Game of Thrones re-watch.
