Barcelona dealt blow as €120 million-rated target likely to stay at current club next summer

Bayer Leverkusen attacing star Florian Wirtz has been on Barcelona’s agenda for a long while now, with the player himself admitting to be a fan of the La Liga giants.

Heading into the summer of 2024, there have been talks of the Blaugrana keeping an eye on the German prodigy, even though their financial situation is far from ideal.

A versatile player who can slot in any attacking positions, Wirtz has been directly involved in 16 goals this season (G6, A10), showcasing his immense talent and quality.

Given what he brings to the table, Wirtz would be an excellent addition for Barcelona, but the economics involved were always going to make things difficult as he is valued at €120 million by Bayer Leverkusen.

Wirtz will not leave in the summer, says father

Not only that, but now a fresh update from Wirtz’s father on the youngster’s future has put a dampener on Barcelona’s hopes of signing him next summer.

Indeed, during a recent interaction with Sky Germany (h/t Florian Plettenberg), Hans-Joachim Wirtz, the father and agent of the 20-year-old Bayer Leverkusen prodigy, has indicated that the player will not be leaving in the summer.

“Currently, everything is geared towards Florian continuing to play in Leverkusen next season,” Wirtz’s father said.

The report from Plettenberg further adds that the plan is for Wirtz to stay at Leverkusen until 2025 at which point he will leave.

And, in that scenario, Bayern Munich are seen as the frontrunners to secure his signing.

So, despite their long-standing admiration of Wirtz, Barcelona appear set to miss out on his signing.