by Oliver Trust

BERLIN, Feb. 14 (Xinhua) -- Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz and Bayern's Jamal Musiala share many similarities as they face off this Saturday evening in the top act of the German first division.

Both players have reached elite levels at the age of 21, serve as youthful figureheads for both their clubs and the national team, and are currently in negotiations regarding their futures.

Ahead of the high-stakes duel between Bavaria's table leader and the runner-up reigning national champion at the Bayer arena, the spotlight is firmly on these emerging stars.

While both players are reportedly attracting interest from international clubs such as Real, LFC, and the Citizens, there are also talks of possible contract extensions with their current clubs that include exit clauses.

Media reports mention figures of 125 million euros for the Bayern prodigy and 175 million for his Bavarian counterpart in potential new deals.

Although the final outcome remains uncertain, any move abroad by these young talents now appears to be postponed.

Both clubs have recently expressed optimism about reaching a "happy end," a topic that is keeping German football fans and officials abuzz.

Bayern's board member Max Eberl described the negotiations as positive, while Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro shared his optimism. The duo's contributions - 15 goals and 12 assists in 34 games - are proving to be extremely important.

Bayern's officials consider the England-born forward to be the club's future face.

While Musiala is reportedly close to sealing a deal, the future of Wirtz appears to hinge on the decision of Spanish star coach Xabi Alonso.

Despite rumors of interest from Real, the 43-year-old coach, a two-time Champions League winner (2005 LFC/2014 Real), is mentioned as a potential successor to Carlo Ancelotti and may be a decisive factor in Wirtz's future.

Other reports suggest that the Leverkusen leader is considering staying on until after the 2026 FIFA World Cup to continue his development in a familiar environment.

Bayern's board member Uli Hoeness recently fueled speculation about the Leverkusen attacker by expressing his dream "to make Wirtz come to Bayern."

Things seem to be aligning in his favor, the 1974 world champion said when asked about his wishes ahead of the club's 125th anniversary on February 27.

While a move for Wirtz to Bayern currently seems unlikely, Hoeness mentioned a ten percent chance, and Saturday's clash appears to be Bayern's last opportunity to close the eight-point gap to the Bavarians.

Despite recent setbacks in the league, Leverkusen is enjoying promising runs in the German Cup - having reached the semifinals - and in the UEFA Champions League knock-out stage as a last-16 participant.

Leverkusen has won three of its latest encounters against Bayern, with two matches ending in draws, while Bayern has enjoyed an upswing, scoring a record 65 goals in 21 league games.

Expectations are high for both clubs' superstars, with hopes growing in Leverkusen and Munich for a signature move and more goals this Saturday. Enditem

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