The dream of seeing Florian Wirtz in white or blue and maroon fades away for Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. Despite the fact that they'd been following the prodigious German midfielder closely, Wirtz will not play in Spain.
Both teams were excited about the possibility of transfering the young talent from Bayer Leverkusen. However, his future seems to be settled: Bayern Munich will be his next destination.
Florentino and Laporta say farewell to their dream
Wirtz has been one of the most talked-about names on the agendas of the big European clubs. At 21, he's standed out under Xabi Alonso's guidance at Bayer Leverkusen. He's shown a degree of maturity and quality that positions him as one of the great promising playes of world soccer.
Both Real Madrid and Barcelona had seriously considered the possibility of signing him for some time, and they saw in him a player capable of making a difference in their squads.
In the case of Real Madrid, the interest was particularly strong. Florian Wirtz was seen as the natural successor to Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, two club legends with no replacement. His versatile and creative style of play suited the needs of Carlo Ancelotti's team perfectly. In addition, the relationship with Xabi Alonso, a former Real Madrid player and Wirtz's current coach, added an extra element of appeal for Florentino Pérez's men.
On the other hand, FC Barcelona also dreamed of having Wirtz in their ranks. His ability to unbalance opponents, his vision of the game and his ability to create goal-scoring opportunities from the attacking midfield made him an ideal transfer for Joan Laporta's team. In addition, it was rumored that Wirtz himself had a special affinity for Barça since his childhood, which generated hopes in the Catalonian club.
However, reality has hit both teams hard. Bayern Munich has entered the race for Wirtz with an offer that seems irresistible. It's the most powerful club in Germany. In addition, it's shown that it has a solid sporting project that attracts the best talents in the country.
In this context, the possibility of Wirtz joining Jamal Musiala in the Bavarian midfield is extremely attractive. Needless to say, they would create a duo that promises to dominate European soccer in the coming years.
Bayern has done what they do best: ensure that the best German talents stay in the Bundesliga. And in the case of Wirtz, everything seems to be in place for him to become the new star of the Allianz Arena. The prospect of seeing Wirtz alongside Musiala is causing excitement not only in Munich, but throughout German soccer. They are, without a doubt, the great German hope.
Laporta and Florentino Give Up
Meanwhile, at Real Madrid and Barcelona, there's only resignation. What seemed like a complex but possible operation for the two giants of Spanish soccer has become an impossible mission. Not even the temptation of the Premier League has been enough to lure Wirtz away from his home country.
Thus, both Florentino Pérez and Joan Laporta must accept that Wirtz's future is not at the Santiago Bernabéu or the Camp Nou. The young German player has chosen to continue growing in his homeland, and Bayern Munich seems to be the ideal place for him to continue his meteoric career.