Man City 'withdraw from £252m record transfer' and Liverpool could steal a march

Liverpool could reportedly pounce on a huge deal after Manchester City pulled out.

Liverpool could pounce after City reportedly pulled out of a world-record deal

Manchester City have reportedly withdrawn from the race to sign Bayer Leverkusen ace Florian Wirtz after concluding that a deal would cost a staggering £252million. Wirtz has been among Europe's best players over the last few seasons and is thought to be on the radar of several top clubs. He has been tipped to follow Xabi Alonso and Jeremie Frimpong in securing a move elsewhere ahead of next season.

Wirtz has been mentioned as a potential successor to Kevin De Bruyne, who is leaving the Etihad Stadium when his contract expires in the summer. City are said to admire the 22-year-old and have reportedly explored the conditions of a deal. However, they will not be proceeding further due to concerns over how much a move would cost, according to BBC Sport.

It is said that City believe an agreement to sign Wirtz would be their most expensive deal in history by some distance. They have reportedly estimated that it would potentially cost up to £252m inclusive of a transfer fee, wages and bonuses.

The report adds that while City view Wirtz as one of the leading talents in European football, they are not prepared to pay that much to secure his signature. As a result, a deal is not expected to go through unless the costs are dramatically reduced.

Liverpool have also been linked with a potential move for Wirtz, who has provided 31 goal contributions in 45 appearances this season. Last week, it was reported by Kicker that he flew to England with his parents to hold talks with the Reds.

It was also claimed by Sky Germany that Liverpool were keen to 'stay involved' and had been making plans to submit a formal offer. However, it remains to be seen if they will be prepared to stump up the cash and take advantage of City's withdrawal.

Bayern Munich have been touted as another potential destination for Wirtz should he wish to join the Bundesliga champions. They are said to be 'very optimistic' about completing a deal, either in the summer or at the end of the 2025/26 campaign.

Liverpool could have an edge, though, given that Wirtz is already said to have discussed a move with Anfield chiefs. He also knows Frimpong well and could be tempted to reunite with the Dutch international when he joins the Reds.

Wirtz recently hinted that he could seek a new challenge this summer, telling Sports Illustrated: "It definitely appeals to me to leave my comfort zone at some point and experience something new. I’m convinced that I would quickly settle in wherever I go.

"I keep seeing posts about me on social media. Every now and then, I have to laugh when people write about where I’m supposedly playing next season. Nobody but me can know that."