Xabi is staying but nine players will leave Bayer

Everything is going smoothly for Bayer Leverkusen these days—victory in Stuttgart (4-3) brought them within six points of Bayern, Florian Wirtz is set to stay at the club at least until June 2026, and now, similar news has emerged regarding Xabi Alonso. According to the always well-informed Bild, the Spanish coach and his wife have chosen a house in Dusseldorf to purchase. According to the newspaper, Alonso’s only condition was that his commute to the BayArena and the club’s training facility does not exceed 30 minutes. These are signs that the young coach intends to honor his contract until the end—or maybe even extend it. His future plans should be revealed after the international break.

It is worth remembering that Alonso has been widely tipped as the successor to Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid. Both managers’ contracts run until June of 2026, but there’s no doubt that Bayer will try to convince the Spaniard to sign a new deal. Regardless, next season, Leverkusen will look quite different from the last two. While their best player, Florian Wirtz, is staying—along with another key piece, Alex Grimaldo—vice-captain Jonathan Tah is set to leave when his contract expires. Loaned players Emiliano Buendía, Nordi Mukiele, and Mario Hermoso have not secured permanent deals and will return to their parent clubs. Meanwhile, Victor Boniface is at the top of the list of players expected to be sold, with Jeremie Frimpong’s departure also likely to bring in significant transfer fees.

Wirtz close to staying until World Cup

Jonas Hofmann no longer plays a crucial role, and since he wants more minutes, the club won’t stand in his way—he will be allowed to leave. A similar situation applies to young full-back Arthur. Aleix García has also struggled to fit in, completing the list of nine players likely to depart this May. Xabi Alonso is ready to tackle a major squad overhaul. The sales of Frimpong and Boniface alone could generate around 100 million euros—perhaps even more. Rumors suggest that Leverkusen could move for Rayan Cherki or Mykhailo Mudryk. A significant investment will also be made in a new center-back, with 19-year-old Dean Huijsen emerging as a top target, though his signing remains uncertain.