Barcelona and Manchester United have reportedly learned what it will take to sign Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Florian Wirtz.
Despite suffering a serious knee injury during the early phase of his development in the professional ranks, Wirtz has progressed into one of the top young players in world football.
A remarkable return of 26 goals and 34 assists has come from 113 matches in all competitions, putting the 20-year-old on the radar of many top European clubs.
As it stands, though, representing Leverkusen has rarely been a more attractive option with the German side flourishing under head coach Xabi Alonso.
Wirtz has chipped in with one goal and three assists during the first seven Bundesliga fixtures, helping Leverkusen sit top of the standings.
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Nevertheless, there is the expectation that major offers will soon arrive, even though Wirtz has publicly insisted that he is in no rush to depart his current club.
Furthermore, Leverkusen remain in a strong position to retain his services, a consequence of not inserting a release clause in a contract that runs until 2027.
According to claims in German media, as per Sport Witness, Leverkusen will only consider a sale if they receive a proposal in the region of €85m (£74.3m).
A report in Sport indicates that Barcelona will face competition from the likes of Manchester City, Newcastle United and Man United.
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From the perspective of Barcelona, acquiring Wirtz anytime soon is unlikely, the Catalan giants already in a position where they must make cutbacks to meet La Liga regulations for 2024-25.
Newcastle and Man United are also not ideally placed to meet such demands, with the Magpies having to ensure that they remain with FFP criteria and Man United - who also have to meet those rules - are currently subject to investment bids.
However, Man City will realistically come into the equation if Pep Guardiola decides that he wants to invest in a youthful creator who can occupy a number of positions.
Wirtz is expected to be in action when Leverkusen face seventh-placed Wolfsburg on Saturday afternoon.
Darren Plant
