Barcelona very keen on €100 million-rated German whizkid, but deal complicated

Under the leadership of Xabi Alonso, Bayer Leverkusen look determined to put an end to their ‘Neverkusen’ tag and secure the German league title this season.

The club have a healthy eight-point lead over Bayern Munich, with just 11 matches left to be played.

One of the protagonists responsible for Leverkusen’s dream season is Florian Wirtz. The German whizkid has emerged as one of Bundesliga’s finest performers and quite needless to say, has generated attention across Europe, with Barcelona among his admirers.

Florian Wirtz to remain in Leverkusen for two years

Given his performances in the Bundesliga this season, many expect Wirtz to make the jump to a bigger club in the coming summer.

However, in a recent interaction, Wirtz’s father and representative, Hans-Joachim Wirtz, has confirmed that the player will stay at Leverkusen for two more years.

“Florian has a contract with Bayer until 2027 and that is the approximate time he will be in Leverkusen,” he said.

Wirtz pursuit remains complicated for Barcelona (Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)

Barcelona on the prowl

In light of this comment, a recent report from SPORT has offered an update on Barcelona’s pursuit of Wirtz.

The Catalans have always been one of the clubs interested in his services in the coming summer. However, the club are aware that the operation is going to be difficult, amid competition from a host of European giants.

It must be noted that Wirtz’s market price is between €80-100 million, an unaffordable figure for the Blaugrana in their current economic situation.

However, with Wirtz now unlikely to leave Leverkusen in two years, Barcelona may have renewed hopes of signing the German international.

One would expect Barcelona to have a much better salary structure in 2026 along with a less pressurised economic environment. Thus, they could be in a position to go after the German.

That said, the report affirms that the operation could still be tricky for Barça, especially considering the fact that there are multiple European giants also keen on his services, including Bayern Munich.