- 11 hours ago
Wirtz's father reveals €100m wonderkid's priority amid Liverpool and Real Madrid interest
Florian Wirtz may be linked with a transfer to the likes of Liverpool, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich or Manchester City, but the father of the 20-year-old Germany international has revealed the plans of the Bayer Leverkusen youngster.
Wirtz already has six goals and nine assists across all competitions for Leverkusen this season and will hope to improve those statistics when Xabi Alonso’s side travel to Qarabag for a Europa League clash on Thursday.
And the youngster’s focus is indeed on gaining success with Leverkusen before thinking about a potential summer transfer, according to his father.
“The first goal is to become German champion with Leverkusen,” Hans-Joachim Wirtz, who also acts as his advisor, told Sport Bild.
Under contract until 2027, Wirtz is not about to push his way out of the club where he made his professional debut after spending a decade in the youth academy of Koln.
When he does indeed depart Leverkusen, meanwhile, he will only do so for a club that will allow him to take a sizeable step up – a team that he believes has a shot at winning the Champions League.
And that side will have to have deep pockets, too. Leverkusen have put an asking price of over €100 million on the playmaker.
“I see Flo getting more and more mature. He is a player who makes a difference. What he can do is natural,” head coach Alonso, who himself has been linked with a potential move to Real Madrid that could help entice Wirtz to the Bernabeu, previously explained.
The former Spain international has also raved over the player’s dribbling skills.
“I can't teach him that, not many players can do that,” he added.
Wirtz, meanwhile, stands a good chance of realising his dream of becoming a Bundesliga champion with Leverkusen as they top the Bundesliga with nine wins from their first 10 matches.