Real Madrid News
Agent associated with Liverpool big-money signing hopes to see him at Real Madrid
In a revealing interview on the Phrasenmaher podcast (h/t AS), Volker Struth, best known as the long-time agent of Toni Kroos and the man who manages the marketing side of Wirtz’s career, disclosed that he actively tried to steer the German star towards Real Madrid before his blockbuster move to Liverpool in the summer of 2025.
It must be noted that Liverpool paid €125 million to secure Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, ending any possibility of the attacking midfielder following his former coach Xabi Alonso to Madrid.
Struth admitted that although he is not Wirtz’s primary football agent, he attempted to influence the situation behind the scenes.
“I wasn’t sufficiently involved in the proposals that were on the table. My greatest wish would have been to see Florian at Real Madrid, and I don’t think I’m the only one.
“Also, because of my history with Toni and my relationship with the Real Madrid officials. I think he would have been very good there,” he said.
Contacts with Xabi Alonso
The story becomes even more interesting when Struth revealed he personally contacted former Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso during the decision process.
At the time, the battle was reportedly between Bayern Munich and Liverpool.
“At the stage when it was between Bayern and Liverpool, when the transfer was being discussed, I was in contact with his parents, and I called Xabi and said, ‘Listen, take the boy. Try to talk to Florentino.’”
According to Struth, Alonso’s response was direct. “You have to talk to him yourself.”
That prompted Struth to message Real Madrid president Florentino Perez personally.
“Hi Florentino, how are you? I’ve told you several times that I have an interesting player here that I’d like to recommend to you,” Struth said he wrote.
Perez’s reply was polite but did not lead to negotiations.
“Thank you, dear Volker. You know that your advice is always very important to me. Have you discussed this with Jose?”
The “José” in question was CEO Josw Angel Sanchez. However, Struth later discovered through other channels that signing Wirtz “was not an issue” for Madrid at that time.
“Xabi would have liked to sign him, but sometimes you’re not in the right place at the right time.
“That year, he didn’t fit into the squad, the budget, or everything that goes with it. At Real Madrid, the coffers aren’t always full either. But I’m clear about one thing: Florian Wirtz improves any team,” Struth said.
Real Madrid opted to renew Antonio Rudiger’s contract this past summer to keep him at the club for one more season.
The 33-year-old veteran defender, though, has not been performing at his best, with physical problems taking their toll and age starting to catch up with him.
As such, the expectation is that Los Blancos will not extend his contract again when his current one expires on 30 June 2027.
Tottenham eye Antonio Rudiger
And, according to reports relayed by AS, Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a free-transfer swoop to sign Rudiger in the summer of next year.
The north London club are understood to be keen on reinforcing their backline next year and see the German defender as an option, given his experience in the Premier League and the fact that he would be available for free in the summer.
So far this season, Rudiger has played only five games for Real Madrid, amounting to a total of 396 minutes.
The 33-year-old has even chipped in with two goals, including the all-important winner in the 4-3 comeback victory over AS Roma on Wednesday night.
Time to move on?
Despite Rudiger being a hugely respected figure in the Real Madrid locker room, he is currently the third-choice centre-back for Jose Mourinho.
After all, summer signing Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen have been preferred by the manager so far in the new season.
Moreover, with Eder Militao set to return imminently after a lengthy injury layoff, Rudiger’s game-time could be impacted further.
Given the situation and factoring in Real Madrid’s plans to sign another centre-back next summer, it is pretty much evident that Rudiger does not feature in the club’s plans for beyond this season.
As such, a separation of ways seems pretty likely when his contract expires, and Tottenham are now positioning themselves as early suitors to sign Rudiger as a free agent in 2027.
