The Bayer Leverkusen star has never hidden his admiration for the club, which has been following him for a long time.
Bayeer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz scored a flag-waving goal on a span of ground this weekend that prompted his coach, Xabi Alonso, to stage a gesture of admiration reminiscent of the one in which Bobby Robson put his hands to his head after seeing Ronaldo Nazario’s slalom in Santiago de Compostela or when Frank Rijkaard, Samuel Eto’o and company did the same when they assisted Leo Messi’s famous goal against Getafe. Witrz, a 20-year-old Germany international, is returning to his offensive production levels this season after coming off a serious injury, with five goals and eight assists in 13 games, and rumours about his future have been revived. The talented midfielder has never hidden his admiration for Barça since his childhood and, on the other hand, the club have known his potential well for a long time. It is not surprising that he has been mentioned several times as a possible Barça signing, most recently at the end of September, according to German media. Nothing is impossible, but it is a difficult possibility to realize for various structural and conjunctural reasons.
HE CONFIRMED IT IN 2022
“As a child I dreamed of playing for Barça and that didn’t change”
In April 2022, Wirtz confirmed in an interview with Sky Sport Germany which was his favourite team since he was a child. “I always wanted to be the best, as a child I dreamed of playing for Barça and that hasn’t changed,” he said before warning that “I can still wait.” “I had some posters hanging in the room, like those of Leo Messi, Dembele or Aubameyang,” he recalled. He also said that his “first shirt was Messi’s with Argentina. When I was little he was the best player, no one could play like him,” he said.
LONG TRACKING
The club knows his qualities
In September, MD reported that FC Barcelona’s sporting management was following with interest the evolution of Bayer’s talented German international, before and after he returned to the pitch after overcoming a cruciate ligament tear in his left knee that occurred in
March 2022 and kept him inactive until January 2023. This season it is already performing at levels comparable to a mishap of this importance.
CONTRACT UNTIL 2027
Renewed June 2022
A testament to Bayer Leverkusen’s faith that Wirtz would return to the top level was his renewal while he was injured and as his contract came to an end. In June 2022, when he was in full convalescence, Simon Rolfes, the German team’s sporting director, recalled that they were in front of “a special player”.
MANY GREATS THINK OF HIM
City, Real Madrid and Bayern
A footballer as young and talented as Wirtz does not go unnoticed by the big clubs. The list of clubs that have been mentioned as possible destinations for Wirtz in the medium-term future is very remarkable and has a lot of economic potential. From Manchester City, always in perpetual renewal, to Real Madrid, passing through Bayern, the usual fishing ground for almost every player of ni8ven in the Bundesliga.
HIGH PRICE
Valued at no less than 100 million
Wirtz’s market valuation according to the specialized website Transfermarkt reaches 85 million euros, although in Germany it is assured that Bayer Leverkusen would never let go of their greatest talent for a figure of less than 100 million euros. For Barça it is currently too high a bar, even though there is the possibility that LaLiga will relax in future markets and enter the famous 1/1 rule. Signings of this caliber would only be acceptable if comparable sales were recorded.
A MENTOR TO KEEP IN MIND
Xabi Alonso, current guide and future white
In the 4-3-2-1 of Xabi Alonso, his coach at Bayer, Wirtz is the playmaker who moves with a certain freedom to enter wherever his instinct commands him. That has led him to be the second player with the most key passes (10) and first in through passes (10). “He’s a player who can make a difference, his actions on the pitch are not learned,” said the current Bayer Leverkusen coach. Although Alonso, a former Real Madrid player, renewed his contract with the German club until 2026 last August, he has always sounded like a clear candidate to succeed Carlo Ancelotti on the Madrid bench if the Italian leaves with the Brazil national team. It is not surprising, therefore, that he has been linked in a possible future with Wirtz, although in the Whites’ squad there are many second strikers, midfielders and mobile attackers.
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