Why Manchester City Dropped Out Of Florian Wirtz Transfer Race

‎Manchester City has reportedly exited the race for Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz due to the deal becoming too expensive.

‎Wirtz has scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists in 46 matches across all competitions this season.

‎His impressive performances have attracted attention from Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Liverpool, all eager to sign the German international.

‎Liverpool have reportedly reached out to representatives of the 22-year-old and may have now been handed a huge boost in negotiations as the BBC reports that the deal is out of City’s price range.

‎“It is estimated that an agreement to sign the 22-year-old would represent the biggest deal in the City’s history, potentially reaching as much as 300 million euros inclusive of transfer fees and wages.

‎“While there is an acknowledgment that Wirtz is among the leading young talents in European football and has been linked with Bayern Munich and Liverpool, City are concerned the cost of the deal is over-inflated.”

‎The Reds have already activated Jeremie Frimpong’s £30 million release clause from Leverkusen, and their first summer signing is expected to be announced soon.

‎The decision by Manchester City to withdraw from the race further increases the likelihood of Liverpool targeting the midfielder.

‎This strategic move reflects manager Arne Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes’ efforts to strengthen the squad after saving money in their initial transfer windows since taking over in 2024.

‎Manchester City will continue to search for a new creative midfielder, with Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White catching the attention of manager Pep Guardiola.

‎Despite investing £180 million in the January transfer window, Guardiola is eager to spend again to strengthen the squad.

‎The Spaniard will likely aim to revitalize his team after their heavy loss in this weekend’s FA Cup final.

‎With the Club World Cup approaching in the coming months, he is expected to rotate the squad following a hectic season.