Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro revealed Florian Wirtz would have chosen Real Madrid over Liverpool if the Spanish giants came knocking.
Wirtz, who played a pivotal role in helping Bayer Leverkusen win their first-ever Bundesliga title in 2023–24, opted to leave the club this summer and join Liverpool in a deal worth up to €136.3 million (£116.1 million, $157.8 million), a then-British transfer record.
Yet Carro claims the move would have never happened had his former manager Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid come to the table with a concrete offer for Wirtz.
“[Wirtz] is someone who wants to win the Champions League,” Carro said on . “He saw that we had won the Bundesliga title, but winning the Champions League with Bayer Leverkusen might be more difficult.
“He would definitely have gone to Madrid if Xabi had made the offer. But Xabi has less say at Madrid than he does with us.”
Instead of vying for any of Alonso’s former Bayer Leverkusen players, Real Madrid signed Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dean Huijsen, Álvaro Carreras and Franco Mastantuono as they pursue their 16th Champions League title under the leadership of their former player.
Wirtz, meanwhile, joined the defending English champions along with ex-Bayer Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong.






