Real Madrid handed shock boost in Florian Wirtz transfer race

Real Madrid could be given an unexpected helping hand by Bayer Leverkusen in the summer transfer race for Florian Wirtz.

The two clubs are expecting plenty of crossover in the coming weeks as Real Madrid plan for the 2025/26 season.

With Carlo Ancelotti widely expected to leave the Spanish capital at the end of the campaign, Xabi Alonso is the No.1 candidate to replace him, and the former midfielder will be given a bumper transfer budget to work with at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu.

One player Alonso could bring with him from Leverkusen is Wirtz with the Germany international potentially looking to move on from the BayArena.

Los Blancos have been regularly linked with an offer for Wirtz as a future option, alongside other targets from across Europe, as part of a long term transfer strategy.

The 21-year-old netted 18 goals last season, as Leverkusen sealed a first ever Bundesliga crown, and he is under contract until 2027.

However, any move for Wirtz will not be straightforward, with Bayern Munich already registering an interest and Manchester City also monitoring him.

Previous reports indicate the German giants could demand a world record €150m fee for Wirtz and Real Madrid will not pay that up front.

As per reports from Sky Germany, the trio have a chance to convince Bayer Leverkusen to sell their star asset, but the club are not keen on offloading him to Bayern Munich.

Sporting director Fernando Carro does not want to strengthen the club’s biggest domestic rival and that could play into Real Madrid’s hands.

If Alonso does take charge as expected, that will improve Real Madrid’s chances, with the Basque coach playing a key role in Wirtz’s rise to stardom.

The pair have a strong relationship and Real Madrid are looking to build for a new era after a mixed end to the 2024/25 season.