- EXCLUSIVE from Graeme Bailey
Premier League giants Liverpool and Manchester City sent scouts to watch the Bundesliga clash between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen with Florian Wirtz, Piero Hincapie, Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich all featuring.
HITC Football understands that, as Leverkusen stormed five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table with a thumping 3-0 win over the reigning champions, Xabi Alonso is not the only Bay Arena favourite with admirers on the red side of Stanley Park.
Liverpool have installed Alonso, their 41-year-old former midfielder, as the leading candidate to replace Jurgen Klopp when he rides off into the sunset at the end of the current campaign.
Liverpool scout Bayer Leverkusen stars
Alonso could return to Anfield as a bonafide Leverkusen legend too, a club who have never won the Bundesliga title in their history taking one giant step towards dispelling that ‘Neverkusen’ nickname as they tore Bayern apart.
HITC has been informed that scouts working on behalf of Liverpool were also in the stands to keep tabs on a number of players. Florian Wirtz, arguably the most exciting young attacking midfielder in Europe, is liked by Liverpool. As is Piero Hincapie. The talented, left-sided centre-half was a target last summer, as confirmed by his agent.
We understand that Liverpool like Jamal Musiala too, the former Chelsea whizzkid who was outshone by the dazzling Wirtz during what was arguably Bayern’s most damaging domestic defeat since Wolfsburg ran them ragged over a decade ago.
Manchester City were also watching Wirtz and Musiala on Sunday. Ditto Joshua Kimmich, the uber-experienced Germany international who made his Bayern breakthrough during Pep Guardiola’s successful stint at the Allianz Arena.
Kimmich, HITC understands, is among Man City’s leading midfield targets for the summer window. Bayern may be open to offers too, with Kimmich’s contract expiring in 2025.
Florian Wirtz could cost Liverpool a club-revord fee
Valued at a reported £110 million, via BILD, Wirtz is likely to be the most expensive of the aforementioned quartet. Liverpool have considerable money to spend, however, having submitted a bid in that region for Moises Caicedo last summer.
“There are good players and there are players who look good on the pitch. The player who looks good does things that are nice, but (they are) not necessarily efficient,” Alonso says of Wirtz, not the first to draw comparisons between the 20-year-old and one Lionel Messi (Goal).
“Why is Messi so good? Because he knows how and when to play simple passes. Messi says; ‘You’re in a better position? Here, there you have the ball!’
“It’s not always about making the most brilliant move, but the best and smartest. Florian can do that. That’s why he’s so good.”
The twinkle-toed Wirtz has a sensational eight goals and 15 assists to his name this season.
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