Manchester City Back Out of Wirtz Deal Over Steep Financial Demands
Manchester City have stepped away from the much-discussed pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, and it all comes down to money. For months, the 21-year-old German sensation was rumored to be the club’s top pick to fill the shoes of Kevin De Bruyne, who is confirmed to be leaving the Etihad this summer. But after in-depth talks last week with Leverkusen officials and the player’s agents, City decided the numbers just didn’t make sense.
The buzz around Manchester was real. City fans had pictured Wirtz weaving through Premier League defenses, picking up where De Bruyne left off. Club executives even hosted meetings in Manchester, hoping to iron out a deal. But it only took a few rounds of negotiations to reveal just how massive Leverkusen’s demands were. The German side, riding high after clinching the Bundesliga title, weren’t interested in letting their star go for anything less than a record-breaking fee—over £100 million for the transfer alone. Add estimated wages, agent fees, and bonuses into the equation, and the total package swelled to a jaw-dropping €300 million (about £252.5 million) over the course of the contract.
It’s a figure that even a club as deep-pocketed as Manchester City couldn’t comfortably justify, especially with increased scrutiny around Premier League spending. Pep Guardiola’s team has rarely shied away from signing expensive talent, but there’s a point where every club has to draw a line. According to a source familiar with the talks, City decided that committing to Wirtz’s deal would throw their summer plans off balance and could force them to neglect other key areas needing reinforcements.
Instead, City are shifting focus to alternative midfield targets. The search for a dynamic, attacking playmaker to replace De Bruyne is hardly over, but the days of blank-cheque spending at top clubs seem to be winding down, especially with UEFA’s financial fair play rules looming ever larger. The need to balance wages, transfer fees, and squad depth means even Europe’s biggest teams have to do careful math rather than just eye-popping moves.
Bayern Munich Ready to Pounce as City Bow Out
With Manchester City stepping aside, all signs now point toward Bayern Munich swooping in for Wirtz. The player’s entourage is reportedly more than open to a move to Germany’s biggest club, and Bayern see him as a perfect long-term centerpiece. If Leverkusen’s valuation stays in place, Bayern may pay a record fee—especially after losing ground this season in the Bundesliga. Wirtz, who scored 11 goals and assisted 11 times in the league this year, has become the most sought-after young midfielder in Europe.
There’s a sense of inevitability among those close to the negotiations. With City’s withdrawal, there is unlikely to be a bidding war. Bayern, flush with funds and eager to rebuild, now have a clear shot at the Florian Wirtz deal. For City, the hunt for the next big thing in midfield continues, but with lessons learned about just how expensive the top shelf can be.
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