Florian Wirtz ‘wanted Real Madrid over Liverpool’

Carlo Garganese

5 Nov 2025 10:35 GMT
4 min read

Florian Wirtz, Liverpool, 2025/26 — © IMAGO

Florian Wirtz would have preferred to join Real Madrid instead of Liverpool this summer.

Article continues under the video

That is according to Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro, who says that if Madrid had made a concrete offer for the attacking midfielder he would have signed for them instead.

Current ETV

Florian Wirtz

AM, M (C)

Liverpool

Florian Wirtz

AM, M (C)

Liverpool

ETV Range

€102.8M - €171.3M

"He would definitely have gone to Madrid if Xabi had made the offer," Carro said.

"But Xabi Alonso has less say at Madrid than he does with us.

"[Wirtz] is someone who wants to win the Champions League. He saw that we had won the Bundesliga title, but winning the Champions League with Bayer Leverkusen might be more difficult."

Wirtz to Liverpool

Wirtz joined the Reds in the summer from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth €125 million - a then British record.

The German superstar had established himself as arguably the most exciting player in the Bundesliga at Leverkusen over the previous two years, and there was great excitement at what he could do at Anfield.

However, Wirtz has endured a dismal start to life in the Premier League. He has managed no goals and no assists in 10 matches in the Premier League and no goals in 15 games in all competitions.

Wirtz was in action for Liverpool against Real Madrid on Tuesday as the Reds won 1-0 at Anfield thanks to a goal from Alexis MacAllister.

Wirtz's performances for Liverpool are a far cry from his brilliance at Leverkusen.

Wirtz joined Bayer Leverkusen at the age of 16 after spending 10 years at youth club FC Koln.

He immediately developed into one of the most exciting young talents in German football, becoming Leverkusen’s youngest-ever Bundesliga debutant at the age of just 17 years and 15 days.

His rapid rise was tested when he tore his ACL as an 18 year old in 2022.

After missing 10 months of action, Wirtz returned and he soon reached even bigger heights during a historic 2023-24 season.

Leverkusen went the entire Bundesliga season unbeaten as they stormed to the title. They also won the DFB-Pokal and went so close to an unbeaten treble as they fell at the final hurdle in the Europa League final to Atalanta.

Wirtz played a key role in Leverkusen’s success with 18 goals and 20 assists in all competitions.

He was named Bundesliga Player of the Season and also impressed at Euro 2024 with two goals before Germany’s controversial quarter final exit to Spain.

Wirtz also impressed in the 2024-25 despite Leverkusen falling short in the Bundesliga and Champions League - beaten by Bayern Munich in both competitions.

The attacking midfielder scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists in all competitions.

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