Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are often linked with the same superstar names as titans of the game, but rarely – if ever – are they locked in a transfer war for five separate players.
That is the current situation, pitting two all-time powerhouses of European football against each other, according to reports, in one of the biggest tugs of war in transfer history.
Bayern and Real are perhaps at two different stages in their respective projects; Los Blancos have just signed Kylian Mbappe and are close to their Galactico goal in terms of the sheer star power at the Bernabeu, while Bayern are still arguably rebuilding under new manager Vincent Kompany.
Furthermore, there are a number of Bayern stars whose futures are far from certain, with deals either up in the summer or set to expire in the following year. With a relatively untested manager in European competitions at the helm in Kompany, some players may still be unsure of whether to commit the next period of their careers to a project with a destination that is as yet unclear.
Bayern, however, are an undeniable giant of the game, and have a pulling power that Real are perhaps one of only a handful of clubs that can match.
Which is what makes the potential high-profile battle that could come over the next two windows so mouth-watering, with both clubs fighting over the futures of Florian Wirtz, Alphonso Davies, Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah and Jamal Musiala, according to reports.
Florian Wirtz is thought to be a key target for both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid for 2025
Carlo Ancelotti’s side are set to do battle with their German counterparts over a number of transfer targets, as per reports
Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany is relatively untested at the highest level of the game
Wirtz is thought to be nearing the exit at Bayer Leverkusen, where he will reportedly depart alongside Xabi Alonso at the end of the season.
His dad – and agent- confirmed that it was unlikely he would see out his contract: ‘Florian has a contract at Leverkusen until 2027. That will also be approximately the time he will spend at Leverkusen. We should wait the next two years and then we will see where the path leads.’
Under Alonso Wirtz has asserted himself as one of the best young players in the world, and represents one of Germany’s hopes for the future having already featured prominently at their home Euros in the summer.
Bayern have long been a club that has focused on picking up the biggest…