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Manchester City are firmly in the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, with his parents traveling to England for discussions with the club.
On Tuesday, Wirtz’s parents were in Manchester to explore options for their son’s potential move this summer.
Their visit is a positive sign for City’s director of football, Txiki Begiristain, and sporting director, Hugo Viana, who see Wirtz as a replacement for Kevin De Bruyne. Recent reports had suggested the 22-year-old was leaning toward Bayern Munich, either this summer or next, but the talks in Manchester have boosted City’s hopes.
Bayern Munich remain City’s biggest rivals for Wirtz, and Real Madrid, likely to appoint Xabi Alonso as coach, could also enter the race. Still, the Manchester talks are a significant step forward for City, who are determined to land one of their top summer targets.
In a recent Sports Illustrated interview, Wirtz discussed his future without revealing his plans, offering encouragement to all interested clubs.
“I’m pretty lucky that I have so many excellent clubs right on my doorstep and that I can now play for one of the best clubs in Germany and Europe,” he said.
“It definitely appeals to me to leave my comfort zone at some point and experience something new. I know football locker rooms well enough and I’m convinced that I would quickly settle in wherever I go.”
