Manchester City set to beat Liverpool and Real Madrid in £100m race to sign Bundesliga ace: Reports
Manchester City are reportedly ready to defeat Liverpool and Real Madrid in the race to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, according to a recent report by Caughtoffside. It was earlier reported by Caughtoffide that Chelsea and Liverpool have held talks with Leverkusen over Wirtz's signing.
Real Madrid are reportedly willing to offer £150 million for the player. However, Manchester City are presently leading in the race to sign the 21-year-old next summer.
Wirtz has established himself as a formidable attacking midfielder in recent times. Well-known for his creativity in attack, his finishing proficiency is also outstanding. He has had a terrific start to the 2024-25 campaign. His brilliance has seen him score seven goals and register two assists in 17 games for Leverkusen.
Manchester City's interest in signing Wirtz could be tied to the uncertainty of Kevin De Bruyne's future, with his contract scheduled to expire next summer. Wirtz could be seen as a replacement for De Bruyne if he refuses to extend his contract at Manchester City.
Meanwhile, Liverpool could be interested in Wirtz due to his versatility. This is based on the idea that the German could feature as a winger despite the fact that he's primarily an attacking midfielder. As such, filling the void that could be created by Mohamed Salah's potential departure next summer.
Real Madrid's interest in signing Florian Wirtz, who is contracted until June 2027, could be seen as a strategic plan to enhance the creative aspect of their attack. If he's signed by Madrid, his creativity could stand to be beneficial for Kylian Mbappe.
Federico Chiesa might exit Liverpool in January 2025 - Reports
Federico Chiesa might be leaving Anfield in January 2025, as per Tuttosport (via Transfer News Live). Chiesa joined Liverpool from Juventus reportedly for €12 million in August 2024. But, he has struggled to register himself as a regular player for Arne Slot.
In the 2024-25 campaign, Chiesa has only registered three appearances for Liverpool across all competitions, playing only 78 minutes on the pitch.
This could be why the Italian is currently considering his options for a loan deal to Inter Milan is currently an option. Chiesa is currently contracted at Anfield till June 2028, making his potential move a bit complex.