There is no doubt that Bayern Munich is working hard to sign Florian Wirtz from competitor Bayer Leverkusen next summer. But the emergence of Paul Wanner as one of Europe’s hottest talents should make the Bayern bosses reconsider.

On Monday, Florian Plettenberg from Sky Germany reported that Wanner, currently on loan at Heidenheim, could leave Bayern Munich next summer.

According to the report, this wouldn’t be for another loan but a potential permanent transfer. Much will depend on the potential signing of Wirtz and the future of Bayern star Jamal Musiala.

By all indications, contract negotiations between Musiala and Bayern are nearing the advanced stage. As things stand right now, it appears likely that the 21-year-old will renew his contract that is set to expire in the summer of 2026.

“The fact that Jamal is an exceptional player is also the reason why we want to extend his contract and make him the new face of FC Bayern,” director of sport Max Eberl said to Sky on Monday. “He’s an exceptional player with exceptional intuition when he goes into dribbling. And of course, a player like that makes others better.”

Could Florian Wirtz sign a new contract in Leverkusen?

In other words, things are looking positive when it comes to Musiala. But the same can’t be reasonably said about Wirtz. According to a report by German magazine Kicker and the Bundesliga Gegenpressing Newsletter, the 21-year-old attacking midfielder is trending towards signing a new contract with Leverkusen.

Both reports suggest that Wirtz prefers the stability the environment provides in Leverkusen. Furthermore, the attacking player worries that changing clubs next summer could potentially harm his form ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

In the meantime, Leverkusen would be open to selling Wirtz, even with a new contract, in the summer of 2026. However, the decision-makers in Leverkusen are somewhat reluctant to sell to Bayern Munich.

That leads us back to Wanner. Some German outlets have linked the 18-year-old with a move to Bayern Munich. The bosses at the Säbener Straße hope to move Leverkusen to Leverkusen and make him part of a potential Wirtz deal.

But would such a move even be wise for Bayern? After all, in Wanner, Bayern might have an asset with just as much of a developmental ceiling as Wirtz.

Wanner vs Wirtz – Why does Bayern want the Leverkusen star?

A glimpse at the stats underlines this—last season on loan at 2. Bundesliga side Elversberg, Wanner managed an outstanding six goals and three assists in 28 league games. The attacking midfielder has more than confirmed those numbers in Heidenheim this season. Wearing the no.10 shirt, Wanner has scored five goals and two assists in 11 games across all competitions.

With his direct play and maturity, Wanner is, in fact, not too dissimilar to Wirtz. Although the German U21 national team player with Austrian roots might be more of a traditional playmaker, Wanner occupies much of the same space and shares many playmaking traits.

Make no mistake: While Wanner remains a promise for a brighter future, Wirtz is a world-class finished product. That’s why the Bayern bosses are in pursuit—they are opting for the sure thing.

From an operational standpoint, that makes sense. But Bayern has also invested significantly in the club’s academy located on the Bayern Campus. After recent graduates Josip Stanisic and Aleksandar Pavlovic have broken through to the first team, Wanner could be the latest crown jewel underlying Bayern’s true commitment to youth development.