The Italian coach has made changes to the lineup in several matches, but Wednesday’s match served as a significant warning.
Real Madrid played their second Champions League match against Lille, where they suffered a defeat (1-0), marking their first loss of the season. The French team scored the only goal from a penalty kick just before the end of the first half.
According to information from the German newspaper “Bild,” Florian Wirtz is a target for several clubs, but Bayer Leverkusen will not allow him to leave for less than €150 million.
Real Madrid is closely monitoring the upcoming summer transfer market and potential moves in 2025, with Wirtz being one of the players on the club’s radar.
The exceptional season that Wirtz had under Xabi Alonso has solidified his status as a prominent young talent, attracting interest from other clubs such as Bayern Munich and Arsenal.
Wirtz is a priority for Florentino Perez, who may utilize all his resources to bring him to the team. It is also expected that the Bayer Leverkusen coach, who knows Real Madrid well, will play a role in convincing Wirtz to prioritize a move to Madrid over other options.
The newspaper added that Perez realized after the loss to Lille that Wirtz is the ideal candidate to compensate for Toni Kroos’s absence from Real Madrid’s starting lineup, which has caused significant problems for the team in building play and transitioning the ball from the back.
Furthermore, Spanish coach Pep Guardiola is keen on strengthening his squad at the Etihad Stadium and sees Wirtz as the perfect alternative to Belgian Kevin De Bruyne. However, he is aware that Real Madrid is unlikely to let this player go under any circumstances.
It is clear that Wirtz is attracting attention from several European clubs, including Arsenal, Bayern Munich, and Manchester City. The competition for the services of this attacking midfielder is expected to be fierce and exciting.
With a contract running until 2026, Wirtz’s departure from Leverkusen would require a fee of around €150 million a substantial amount that, if he were to join Real Madrid for that price, would make it the most expensive deal in the club’s history.