“Sky”: Real Wants To Make Double Use Of Bayer – In Addition To Alonso, Wirtz Is Also In Focus For 2025

Rolfes comments on coaching rumors

Real Madrid apparently wants to make double use of Bayer 04 Leverkusen next summer. As “Sky” reporter Florian Plettenberg reports, the Royals are planning a double blow: both coach Xabi Alonso and offensive player Florian Wirtz (21) should ideally move from the reigning Bundesliga champions to Madrid in 2025.

Despite a contract valid until 2026, veteran Carlo Ancelotti is very likely to quit Real after the season. The 65-year-old Italian would thus make room for high-flyer Alonso, who, also bound until 2026, is considered the big favorite to be his successor. Bayer 04 are already preparing for the 42-year-old’s departure. Stuttgart’s Sebastian Hoeneß and DFB assistant coach Sandro Wagner are considered promising candidates for the Werkself (more on the background). Manchester City also have Alonso on the list in the event of Pep Guardiola’s departure in the summer. In reality, however, the greater chances are given.

There should also be movement in Wirtz’s personnel. In addition to the well-known interest from Man City again, Real Madrid should now be fully involved in the poker for the German international. There has already been an exchange between the Wirtz side and the Madrilenians, about which competitor Man City is informed, while there are no negotiations between Real and Bayer, as it is said.

The Bundesliga club continues to hope for a stay and, at best, an extension with the right foot tied until 2027. FC Bayern is also repeatedly associated with Wirtz. Those responsible at Leverkusen, led by boss Fernando Carro and sports director Simon Rolfes, obviously want to avoid the departure of their top performer to Munich and would rather let them move to Madrid. The club that ultimately wins the race will most likely have to raise a transfer fee in the three-digit million range – Wirtz is one of the most valuable players in the world with a market value of 130 million euros.

“You can’t promise anything in football,” Carro said recently in the “Bild” podcast “Phrasenmäher” when asked whether it could be ruled out that Wirtz would move to Bayern in the summer. “It goes without saying that we don’t want to reinforce direct competitors in our own league with top players. I also said that to Jonathan Tah (who wanted to go to Bayern in the summer; editor).”

Hoeneß for Alonso to Bayer Leverkusen? Rolfes comments on rumors

Before the Bundesliga game against VfB Stuttgart on Friday evening, Rolfes avoided a clear denial of the rumors surrounding coach Hoeneß. It is his job “to look, to try, to see. That’s completely normal,” said Rolfes on DAZN. “But as long as there is no need – neither from players nor from the coach – it’s all a good theory.” The fact that Hoeneß has an exit clause in his VfB contract, which runs until 2027, would make possible negotiations easier for Bayer. According to “Sport Bild”, he can leave in the summer for a fee of between 5 and 6 million euros – but only to a club that plays internationally.

“I know the name Hoeneß,” said Rolfes, but there are “so many subjunctives that it makes no sense to speculate about it.” “At the moment,” the manager is 100 percent confident that Alonso will stay, “because he has a contract and there are no signs that things are going in a different direction.”