'They'll have their reasons' - Bayern Munich chief speaks out on Florian Wirtz's parents meeting with Liverpool & Man City as transfer battle heats up

This week, reports emerged that Wirtz and his family had flown to the United Kingdom, where he is believed to have held informal meetings with representatives from both Liverpool and City. At City, Pep Guardiola is reportedly eyeing Wirtz as a potential heir to Kevin De Bruyne, whose role in City's midfield has been pivotal for years. Meanwhile, Liverpool - fresh off a title-winning season - are keen to bolster their creative options and view the Leverkusen star as a long-term investment in their evolving squad.

Despite interest from England, Munich remain firmly in the race for Wirtz. Known for signing top-tier domestic talent, the Bavarian club has traditionally succeeded in luring Germany’s brightest stars to the Allianz Arena. But this time, they face stiff competition - and they’re fully aware of it.

Bayern’s sporting director Eberl addressed the situation calmly during a recent press interaction. When asked about Wirtz’s trips to Liverpool and Manchester, he said, “If Florian Wirtz and his family made this trip, they'll have their reasons. It's not our place to comment on that. Florian Wirtz is free to visit Liverpool, Manchester, Madrid or whatever with his family and friends."

Eberl acknowledged the unique circumstances, noting that speculation is rampant in Munich and beyond, but emphasised the club's commitment to a composed and calculated approach.

"There's a lot of speculation in Munich, and everyone has their own opinion," he added. "Of course, that doesn't make things easy. With the Club World Cup, this summer is obviously special. I try to ignore it as much as possible. We have to ignore the speculation so we can conduct our business calmly. That's what we did with the contract extensions and we want to do the same with transfers."

While Bayern may hope to keep Wirtz in Germany, Leverkusen reportedly have other ideas. According to ESPN, the Bundesliga side would prefer to see their star player head abroad rather than strengthen a direct domestic rival. Moreover, reports have suggested that City are ready to break the bank and offer £126 million ($168m), which is significantly more than Bayern's £84m ($112m) bid.