Barcelona target Florian Wirtz of Germany warms up during a training session ahead of the friendly martch against Mexico at Lincoln Financial Field on October 16, 2023 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Barcelona, Bayern losing grip on €85 million-rated wonderkid as Chelsea advance

Photo by Omar Vega/Getty Images

In recent months, FC Barcelona have been frequently linked with one of the most promising attacking midfielders currently in Europe, Florian Wirtz. The German has been playing at a very high level for the last few months, especially since returning from a long injury at the start of this season.

Currently, Wirtz has four goals and eight assists with Bayer Leverkusen, which have been integral in keeping Xabi Alonso’s team at the top of the Bundesliga. The player has improved immensely this season and is excelling both when playing as an offensive midfielder and as a false 9.

Chelsea getting close to Wirtz

As a result of these performances, clubs throughout Europe have become interested in his services, and according to SPORT, the player is getting extremely close to the Premier League side, Chelsea.

The report mentions that Chelsea have intensified their contacts with the midfielder’s entourage, and expect to incorporate him into their squad by the end of this season.

Thus, Chelsea is not taking any chances and look intent to fend off competition from Bayern Munich, who also showed an interest in the midfielder recently.

Chelsea has excellent relations with Bayer Leverkusen, and these relations have already been translated into business as they bought Kai Havertz some years ago from the Germans.

Wirtz valued at around €80 million

This time, Wirtz is going to cost Chelsea around €80 million. This high price is what keeps clubs like Barcelona unable to compete for his signature, and the Premier League remains the only realistic destination for the midfielder.

There are also reports that Manchester City might also be undertaking contacts with the midfielder’s entourage more discreetly, but with Chelsea’s spending in recent months, it would not be surprising to see the Blues shell out another high sum for the midfielder at the end of the season.

Note: Player’s market value taken from Transfermarket’s website

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