Real Madrid transfer target Florian Wirtz has decided on his future. He will choose Bayer Leverkusen over Real Madrid, unfortunately.
In order to maintain their status as the best club in the world, Real Madrid feel the need to sign the best players in the world. For this, they must have a keen eye on the top leagues within Europe.
Without a doubt, the Bundesliga is one of the best leagues in the world. Most notably, the Bundesliga world was rocked last season when Bayer Leverkusen not only snatched the title from Bayern Munich, but did so without losing a single game.
One of the key players in Xabi Alonso's Bayer revolution has been Florian Wirtz. This is why Real Madrid would like to sign him from the champions.
According to a report from Kicker, though, Florian Wirtz has decided on his next move and it won't be to Real Madrid. Instead, Florian Wirtz will extend his Bayer Leverkusen deal for another year.
Before this decision was made, Wirtz had one and a half seasons remaining on his contract (2026). Now, though, Bayer Leverkusen will benefit from another year on their star player's contract (2027).
Without a doubt, this will come as a major blow to Real Madrid. The consensus is that Los Blancos require more firepower in their midfield, with Toni Kroos retiring last season and Luka Modric close to doing the same.
According to the German report, there are no further rumours. The deal is done, Florian Wirtz has committed another year of his future to Bayer Leverkusen, despite interest from other huge clubs.
However, the report does indicate that the refusal to be bullied by other big clubs was a driving factor for Bayer Leverkusen to push for the deal. Therefore, it is likely that at worst, the decision to extend Wirtz' stay would strengthen Bayer's negotiation position and gain them a larger fee.
It remains to be seen what this means for Real Madrid's, and other interested clubs, transfer pursuits.