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

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

That is the current situation, pitting two all-time powerhouses of European football against each other, according to reports, in one of the biggest tugs of war in transfer history. 

Bayern and Real are perhaps at two different stages in their respective projects; Los Blancos have just signed Kylian Mbappe and are close to their Galactico goal in terms of the sheer star power at the Bernabeu, while Bayern are still arguably rebuilding under new manager Vincent Kompany. 

Furthermore, there are a number of Bayern stars whose futures are far from certain, with deals either up in the summer or set to expire in the following year. With a relatively untested manager in European competitions at the helm in Kompany, some players may still be unsure of whether to commit the next period of their careers to a project with a destination that is as yet unclear. 

Bayern, however, are an undeniable giant of the game, and have a pulling power that Real are perhaps one of only a handful of clubs that can match. 

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

Florian Wirtz is thought to be a key target for both Bayern Munich and Real Madrid for 2025

Carlo Ancelotti's side are set to do battle with their German counterparts over a number of transfer targets, as per reports

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

Wirtz is thought to be nearing the exit at Bayer Leverkusen, where he will reportedly depart alongside Xabi Alonso at the end of the season. 

His dad - and agent- confirmed that it was unlikely he would see out his contract: 'Florian has a contract at Leverkusen until 2027. That will also be approximately the time he will spend at Leverkusen. We should wait the next two years and then we will see where the path leads.'

Under Alonso Wirtz has asserted 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 at their home Euros in the summer. 

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

It is thought that of the five players he is perhaps the one for whom the Bundesliga giants are set to dig their heels in hardest, as he could lead the side for the next ten years or more. 

But Real Madrid are also extremely keen on his services with Luke Modric widely expected to at last leave the club in the summer, and so Bayern will be presented with a huge obstacle in their pursuit. 

Then there are the three Bayern players that are also subject of interest from Real; Kimmich, Davies and Musiala. Reports suggest that Davies is the most likely to depart, with his contract up at the end of the season. 

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

Current Bayern stars Alphonso Davies and Joshua Kimmich are thought to be of interest to Real Madrid

Kimmich's deal will also be up next summer, though there have at least been renewal talks - though they have not yet progressed as far as the Bavarians might have liked. 

Spanish outlet AS reports that Kimmich is upset with his club after the slow negotiations - with both parties thought to be as yet far apart - but with Toni Kroos still not truly replaced at Real, the Spanish side could move for the German, who would be available for nothing in the summer. 

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

Musiala - the third of the Bayern trio - is a slightly different prospect. There is not a club in the world not interested in his services as one of the leading dynamic and versatile attacking midfielders, but his contract is not up until 2026. 

Bayern are reportedly currently negotiating a new deal with the player, which is set to earn him around £16.7million-a-year up until 2030. 

Like Wirtz, the German youngster is a player that the club would build their project around for the coming decade, and it would appear that the only way Real could get a foot in the door is if discussions with his current club take a major turn. 

And then there is Tah who, like Wirtz, was a part of Alonso's invincible Leverkusen outfit 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 a third Bayern Munich player that Real Madrid are keen on, though he is the one that is reportedly least likely to depart

Jonathan Tah (left) is another of the five players Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are set to do battle over

Bayern had been keen to bring Tah in at the end of last season, though Leverkusen shut the door on that deal, intent on keeping hold of their star defender, even if his deal was up at the end of this season. 

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

Where he ends up will likely depend on which club is willing to offer the biggest wage or best offer, with Real able to begin talks this summer and once again potentially steal a march. 

Bayern and Real have faced each other a European Cup/Champions League record 28 times, and are well acquainted with one another on the field. 

Yet rarely in either clubs' storied histories in the game will they have done battle to quite this extent over players that could potentially play a role in the next decade of their histories.