Despite spending upwards of £100m earlier this summer, according to recent reports, Chelsea’s blockbuster recruitment is set to continue.
That’s according to a recent report from Spanish outlet El Nacional, who claims the Blues, managed by Thomas Tuchel, are targeting Bayer Leverkusen starlet Florian Wirtz.
Wirtz, 18, has already established himself as a starter for Bayer Leverkusen and following such a meteoric rise, the teenager is now catching the eye of some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Having featured in 61 senior matches, in all competitions, since his promotion from the club’s youth side, Wirtz has directly contributed to an impressive 31 goals – prompting comparisons to former Barcelona midfielder Andreas Iniesta.
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However, currently valued at just over £85m (€100m), Wirtz won’t come cheap and Tuchel knows it.
In fact, in an attempt to get ahead of the pack, Tuchel has reportedly asked Blues’ owner Roman Abramovich to sanction a move, with the Russian tycoon already starting an ‘operation’ to bring Wirtz to London.
Chelsea isn’t the only club keen on the exceptional attacking midfielder though – Real Madrid is also believed to be big admirers.
If last season’s Champions League winners are to beat Los Blancos to £85m rated Wirtz, they’ll need to get the better of Madrid president Florentino Perez, who is on the lookout for the heir to Luka Modric’s throne.
CaughtOffside’s Verdict
Wirtz is one of Europe’s biggest talents and yet another prospect coming out of Germany.
Set to follow in some pretty illustrious footsteps, the 18-year-old sensation could soon become one of football’s most expensive teenagers.
However, with a contract set to run until 2026, although he will undoubtedly move on at some point in the future, it wouldn’t be totally surprising if Wirtz continues his stunning development under head coach Gerardo Seoane.
Nevertheless though, if Chelsea is to break the bank and make Wirtz the Premier League’s fourth most expensive signing in history (Football Transfers), it will certainly send a major signal of intent to the rest of the continent.
Set to build not just a team for there here and now, but should Tuchel capture Wirtz, the Blues will be well on course to have one of the game’s biggest prospects for the future, too.
Some big money signing doesn’t favour Chelsea
It would be nice signing