Florian Wirtz is a gem of German football and played a central role in Bayer Leverkusen's unbeaten double last season, winning the Bundesliga Player of the Year award. Alongside FC Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala, he can be the good hope of Julian Nagelsmann's national team and can be crucial to Germany's challenge on the 2026 World Cup.
His contract runs until 2027, so there isn’t a obligation to sell, but given his close relationship with in-demand head coach Xabi Alonso, there’ll come some extent when Wirtz, who joined Leverkusen from Cologne in 2020, could look elsewhere.
He belongs at the highest of the sport, but his path is determined by which club is willing to pay Leverkusen's €150 million (£125 million; $159 million) price tag. They won't get that, however the number shows how highly Wirtz is valued.
Fernando Carro, the club's CEO, believes he could stay beyond this season.
What else do I want to learn about him?
There is a mysterious silence inside him. He is understandably laconic given the eye he receives within the German media, but can be very talked-about within the Leverkusen dressing room and is fashion-conscious off the pitch, too, looking like someone on the best way back from a Stone Roses gig .
Wirtz has been a star for a very long time. In his early teens, there have been stories about somewhat boy in Cologne who is likely to be the country's biggest talent for years. The hype was justified. What happened next, nonetheless, sparked a dispute that continues to this present day.
When he got here through Cologne's youth teams, there was a “gentlemen's agreement” between several clubs within the region – including Cologne, Leverkusen, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Fortuna Düsseldorf – stipulating that they might not poach one another's youth players for the good thing about the region would .
After turning 17, Wirtz's youth contract with Cologne expired. The player's parents wanted him to finish his education and stay near home, so he moved to Leverkusen for €300,000. His latest club felt he was a good player – a senior relatively than a youth player. Cologne disagreed, claiming its local rivals had violated the agreement.
Max Eberl, Gladbach's sports director on the time (and now Bayern's sports director), criticized Leverkusen's behavior, but Carro, who stays Leverkusen's chairman, defended his club.
This could also be old news, but Bayern's transfer targets will – inevitably – include Wirtz, which might involve delicate negotiations.
Will he go there? Most likely not. Musiala's contract extension is a priority for FC Bayern. Given the strength of his relationship with Alonso and the nice form he has had under him, the smart money may very well be on them taking their next steps together.
Tell me how he plays…
On the pitch, his control, dribbling ability and inventive abilities make him one of the exciting players on the earth. He can push past defenders but additionally find teammates with one-twos, precise passes and thru balls, while his movement and positioning off the ball commonly takes him into areas where he can rating and create opportunities.
During his short senior profession he played on the front line and was number 10. This versatility allowed Nagelsmann to successfully play him and Musiala together at Euro 2024.
Wirtz's defensive work has also improved under Alonso and he was ready to present his all to steer Leverkusen's pressing. Wirtz was over the cap because he played behind the striker, but arguably hasn't reached his cap yet – greater than the rest, that's a scary prospect.
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