Bayer Leverkusen’s exciting teenage midfielder Florian Wirtz has revealed his admiration for former Barcelona captain Lionel Messi and current attackers Ousmane Dembele and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
The attacking midfielder has been linked with a move to the Camp Nou previously and has spoken to Sky Sport Germany about how he had pictures of Barcelona players on his bedroom wall as a child.
“I actually had a few posters hanging in my room, [like] Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembele and Aubameyang, for example. My first jersey, however, was Messi’s Argentina jersey,” he said. “When I was little, he was the best player there was at the time in the world. I watched videos of him, was a fan of his – I wanted to be as good as him. Of course, I’ve developed my own style in the meantime. [But] nobody can play like Messi – he has his own way of playing. Sometimes I watch more specifically how he solves situations.”
Wirtz also opened up on his own future and spoke about the possibility of leaving Bayer Leverkusen to continue his career in a different country and a new league.
“It depends on where I see the next steps in my career. It’s definitely a possibility to play abroad at some point,” he added. “But I haven’t thought about it until now. I [will] take everything as it comes and then decide where [the] next step leads.”
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Wirtz To Leave Leverkusen in 2024?
Wirtz has played a key role for Leverkusen in 2021-22 and has already produced 10 assists in Germany’s top flight this season. Only Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller and RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku have more in the Bundesliga.
The youngster has also scored seven times which has fuelled speculation he could be targeted by some of Europe’s top clubs. Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro told Bild that he hopes the club can keep hold of the talented teen, as reported by Diario AS.
“I don’t think Wirtz will leave before 2024,” he said. “I hope he will be with us, at least, until 2024.” Wirtz has a contract with the Bundesliga club that runs until 2026.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has reported “there is a lot of interest” around Wirtz and added that “Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern are watching him closely for the future.”
Wirtz Has ‘Always Wanted To Play For Barcelona’
Barcelona’s tricky financial position means that bringing in players this summer will prove tricky unless the Catalans can find a way to generate income and cut the wage bill.
Therefore, the club may well be prepared to be patient when it comes to any potential move for Wirtz, particularly as the youngster has already made it very clear in an interview with Bild he has always dreamed of playing for Barcelona, as reported by Be Soccer.
“When I was a child, I always wanted to play for Barcelona,” he said. “That hasn’t changed, but I still have some time until I get there,” he said.
Wirtz is still only 18 but there is no doubt he is already one of the most exciting talents in European football. A move away from Bayern Leverkusen in the future looks likely at some point, but it’s not clear yet if he will be granted his wish to play for Barcelona.
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