Real Madrid plot gargantuan double raid with club’s best player tipped to follow next manager in

A top source has rated the chances of Real Madrid wreaking havoc on an increasingly powerful European side by prising away their manager to replace Carlo Ancelotti and also taking their best player.

Ancelotti is running out of time as Real Madrid’s manager, with candidates already queuing up to replace him. The Copa del Rey final on Saturday night, which has had a controversial buildup, could spell the end of his second reign.

The top candidate to take Ancelotti’s place in the Bernabeu dugout next season is former Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso, who led Bayer Leverkusen to their first ever Bundesliga title last season and has earned them a place in next season’s Champions League thanks to what looks like a second-place ranking this term.

Alonso has addressed his links with the Real Madrid job this week. And now, his potential return to the Spanish capital is being tipped to have an impact on a key Bayer Leverkusen player’s future.

Florian Wirtz was the best player in the whole Bundesliga last season. After opting to stay last summer, it’s now been revealed by Bild‘s Christian Falk that the playmaker will leave ‘for sure’ if Alonso does.

And although there are two rivals for Wirtz’s signature, Real Madrid are a possible destination for the 21-year-old.

“Bayern Munich are still waiting for a decision. Leverkusen doesn’t yet know what Florian Wirtz is going to decide,” Falk explained on CF Bayern Insider.

“Xabi Alonso is the key in these talks. If he leaves Leverkusen, Florian Wirtz will leave the club for sure.

“The direction is open. It could be that Real Madrid will sign the attacking midfielder as well.

“We already heard that the player himself admires Manchester City (because of Pep Guardiola). However, as things currently stand, the most concrete talks are still with Bayern Munich.

“Max Eberl isn’t having these conversations with Leverkusen, as he still has a difficult relationship with the CEO, Fernando Carro, and the sporting director, Simon Rolfes.”

Florian Wirtz: Real Madrid ‘preference’ hint

With two rivals to overcome in the race for Wirtz – and Bayern believed to be in the lead – Madrid have some work to do if they are to bring him to the Bernabeu.

However, Falk has hinted at how he could have a preference for a move outside of his native Germany.

“Leverkusen also wants a decision from Wirtz – it’s a very important one,” Falk added.

“Bayern have a feeling they’re a little ahead, as they’re in very good talks with Hans-Joachim (the father and agent). But, of course, it all comes down to what the player wants.

“I think it’s a really hard race between Bayern, Real Madrid and City. There’s also a strong connection to Jamal Musiala to consider; Wirtz and Musiala have a lot of fun playing together with the German national team.

“It’s because of this combination – playing with Musiala and Wirtz’s father believing a switch to Munich would be a good next step – that Bayern are still in the race. Otherwise, he’d prefer to go to Real Madrid or Manchester City because it seems a bigger move.”

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Why Wirtz is ready for the next step

Wirtz has recorded some impressive achievements by the age of 21 – becoming the youngest Bundesliga scorer when he got his first goal for Bayer Leverkusen, for example, although he has since been surpassed – but his recent record has shown he could be ready for the next step.

So far, he can boast that he:

👉 Was named the Europa League Young Player of the Season two years in a row (2022/23 and 2023/24).

👉 Helped Bayer Leverkusen win their first ever Bundesliga in 2023-24 and was named the league’s Player of the Season.

👉 Has been named the Bundesliga Player of the Month six times, including in two consecutive months this season.

👉 Currently stands joint-top of the assists chart for the 2024-25 Bundesliga, after being joint-second in that ranking last season.

👉 Scored six goals in the Champions League this season, despite it being his first at that level – and was remarkably named man of the match in five of his first nine UCL appearances.

👉 Has scored double figures of goals in both of the past two seasons, with his career high being 18.

👉 Was the only player from Europe’s top five leagues to score 16+ goals and provide 16+ assists in all competitions last season.