Right after the speculations of Florian Wirtz joining Manchester City next season. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Blues have withdrawn from the race to sign the German midfielder.
Manchester City was keen to sign the German midfielder from Bayer Leverkusen to fill Kevin De Bruyne‘s position. Just a few days ago, City initiated contacts with the midfielder’s officials and was leading the race to sign Florian Wirtz.
However, today Fabrizio Romano, a very renowned football journalist, has stated through his X account (formerly known as Twitter) that Manchester City has officially withdrawn from signing Florian Wirtz due to financial concerns.
After assessing the financial demands of the deal, including Wirtz’s salary, Bayern Leverkusen’s valuation, and agent fees, Manchester City found the deal to be too expensive according to their evaluations.
Farbrizio’s report was supported by BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel, who also reported that City’s interest in signing Florian Wirtz was cooled down after the club got to know the salary and other financial demands from Bayer Leverkusen.
“Manchester City are withdrawing from the race to sign Florian Wirtz. City‘s feeling is that the transfer, which would be the most expensive in their history, does not represent value for money. They estimate the deal would cost around €300m all in and are concerned that it is over-inflated,” Sami Mokbel wrote on X (formerly Twitter), adding that the club found the deal too expensive in its entirety.
Florian Wirtz has become the centre of attraction for many European clubs due to his performance last season.
The German midfielder contributed 18 goals and 19 assists to Bayer Leverkusen’s trophy-winning season last year. Due to his versatility and technical brilliance in the midfield, many clubs want to sign him.
Currently, the German midfielder has only one option to join the rivals Bayern Munich, as it is the only club in the race to sign him after Manchester City’s withdrawal. However, rumors are still in the news that Real Madrid might go for Florian Wirtz as the club is looking forward to making a marquee signing for the next season.
Morgan Gibbs-White on Manchester City’s Shortlist
Despite stepping back from the Wirtz pursuit, City remain active in the market for a creative midfielder. Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White is reportedly still on the club’s shortlist.
Gibbs-White, 25, has impressed in the Premier League with his dynamic style and versatility. Though not as globally recognized as Wirtz, his domestic experience and lower cost could make him an attractive alternative for Pep Guardiola’s side.
City has a track record of turning emerging Premier League talents into world-class players under Guardiola’s guidance, and Gibbs-White could follow a similar trajectory if a move materializes.
