Man City could once again miss out on a major target to Liverpool. Although, they’ve shown before that they know how to bounce back in the market.
Liverpool Closing In On Wirtz While City Step Back
Liverpool have submitted a first bid of €100 million to Bayer Leverkusen for Florian Wirtz, reports @FabrizioRomano 🗣️
The German superstar has already told Bayer he wants only Liverpool 🔴 pic.twitter.com/zc8iBakFVx
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) May 26, 2025
It sent shockwaves through the Manchester City fanbase when news broke that Liverpool are now leading the race for German playmaker Florian Wirtz. Pep Guardiola’s side could have handled it if Wirtz was off to Bayern Munich. If he was staying in the Bundesliga, it would’ve kept him off their radar. But the idea of the German pulling strings in red at Anfield hits much closer to home.
The Man City board, including Txiki Begiristain, had sights on the star as a possible long-term replacement for Kevin De Bruyne.But as the price tag rose, City backed out. It’s a move they’ve made before. That is walking away when the numbers don’t match their valuation.
Meanwhile, the **Reds**‘ track record in these situations is often better. Fans recall 2018 when City declared they wouldn’t pay a record £75m fee for Virgil van Dijk, knowing Liverpool wouldn’t hesitate. Van Dijk became a rock in their defence and played a massive part in their title wins.
City’s Caution Could Prove Costly Again
In fairness, Man City certainly didn’t come up short when they went for Aymeric Laporte over Van Dijk. Laporte was excellent in City winning titles, particularly in 2018/19 and 2021/22. But if Wirtz becomes the next big Premier League star in red, comparisons will be drawn again.
City fans know the focus is on them now to take care and replace De Bruyne wisely. Missing out on Wirtz to a direct rival only adds to that. Still, it’s too early to write this off as a mistake. Wirtz may shine, or he may struggle under the pressure that comes with a big-money move.
What’s clear, though, is that Arne Slot means business this summer. And City will need to respond quickly to stay ahead in the title race.
A trusted source on ManUNews.com
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