The Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich TRANSFER WAR: Florian Wirtz leads group of FIVE players the European giants are fighting over – and one Man United target is in the middle of it all

Bayern Munich and Real Madrid are often linked with the same superstar names as the titans of football, but rarely, if ever, are they embroiled in a transfer war between five separate players.

That’s the current situation, which according to reports pits two of European football’s all-time powerhouses against each other in one of the biggest battles in transfer history.

Bayern and Real may be at two different stages of their respective projects; Los Blancos have just signed Kylian Mbappe and are close to their Galactico target when it comes to massive star power at the Bernabeu, while Bayern are still rebuilding under new manager Vincent Kompany.

Furthermore, there are a number of Bayern stars whose futures are far from certain, with contracts due to expire in the summer or expire the following year. With a relatively untested manager in European competitions at the helm in Kompany, some players may still be unsure whether to commit the next period of their career to a project with a destination still unclear.

However, Bayern are an undeniable giant of football and have an appeal that Real may be one of the few clubs to match.

That’s what makes the potential high-profile battle that could come over the next two windows so tantalizing, with both clubs fighting over the futures of Florian Wirtz, Alphonso Davies, Joshua Kimmich, Jonathan Tah and Jamal Musiala. according to reports.

According to reports, Carlo Ancelotti’s side will battle it out with their German counterparts over a number of transfer targets

Bayern Munich boss Vincent Kompany is relatively untested at the highest level of the game

Wirtz is said to be nearing the exit at Bayer Leverkusen, where he will reportedly leave at the end of the season along with Xabi Alonso.

His father – and agent – ​​confirmed that he was unlikely to complete his contract: ‘Florian has a contract with Leverkusen until 2027. That will also be approximately the time he will spend at Leverkusen. We have to wait the next two years and then we’ll see where the path leads.”

Under Alonso, Wirtz has established himself as one of the best young players in the world and represents one of Germany’s hopes for the future, having already featured prominently in last summer’s European Championship on home soil.

Bayern have long been a club focused on attracting the biggest and best talents in Germany, and as such he is a player who has unsurprisingly been linked with the Bavarians.

It is thought that of the five players, he may be the one the Bundesliga giants will try hardest for as he could lead the side for the next decade or more.

But Real Madrid is also very enthusiastic about his services. It is widely expected that Luke Modric will finally leave the club in the summer, and so Bayern will face a huge obstacle in their pursuit.

Then there are the three Bayern players who are also interested by Real; Kimmich, Davies and Musiala. Reports suggest Davies is most likely to leave as his contract expires at the end of the season.

He is believed to be very open to a move to the Spanish capital, and has so far declined to renew his contract at the Allianz Arena, where he was a crucial part of the team that won the Champions League in 2020 under Hansi Flick .

Current Bayern stars Alphonso Davies and Joshua Kimmich would be interesting for Real Madrid

Kimmich’s deal also expires next summer, although there have at least been talks about an extension, even if they have not progressed as far as the Bavarians would have liked.

Spanish outlet AS reports that Kimmich is angry with his club after the slow negotiations – with both parties said to be still far apart – but now that Toni Kroos has still not really been replaced at Real, the Spanish team could replace the German. available for free in the summer.

With the January window opening in around six weeks’ time, Real could strike a very early blow in the battle for the five-stars by signing contracts at the start of the new year.

Musiala – the third of the Bayern trio – is a slightly different prospect. There is no club in the world that is not interested in his services as one of the leading dynamic and versatile attacking midfielders, but his contract runs until 2026.

Bayern are reportedly currently negotiating a new deal with the player, which will earn him around £16.7 million per year until 2030.

Like Wirtz, the German youngster is a player the club will want to build their project around for the next decade, and it seems like the only way Real can get their foot in the door is if talks with his current club take a major turn .

And then there’s Tah who, like Wirtz, was part of Alonso’s invincible Leverkusen team of 2023/24 but could leave next summer.

The German international centre-back is out of contract this summer and, as a powerful elite defender, is unsurprisingly on the shortlists of both clubs, according to reports.

Musiala is the third Bayern Munich player that Real Madrid are keen on, although he is reportedly the one said to be least likely to leave

Jonathan Tah (left) is one of the five players that Real Madrid and Bayern Munich will compete for

Bayern were keen to land Tah at the end of last season, but Leverkusen closed the door on that deal, intent on keeping hold of their star defender even though his deal expired at the end of this season.

Real meanwhile have suffered another blow, with Eder Militao hit by yet another serious knee injury that is likely to keep him out until the end of the season, and with doubts over his long-term fitness, Tah’s is a name linked with closing that gap.

Where he ends up will likely depend on which club is willing to offer the highest wages or best offer, with Real able to start talks this summer and potentially steal another move.

Bayern and Real have faced each other a European Cup/Champions League record 28 times, although they have rarely competed to this extent against players who could potentially play a role in the next decade of each club’s history .