Todd Boehly is eyeing a Chelsea move for Bayer Leverkusen youngster Florian Wirtz this summer as Mauricio Pochettino looks to continue his overhaul of the squad ahead of 2023/24.
What’s the latest on Florian Wirtz to Chelsea?
According to journalist Simon Phillips reporting on his Substack, the Blues are currently keen on making a move for the talented attacking midfielder as Pochettino looks to rejuvenate the squad.
The 20-year-old currently earns £76k-per-week at the Bundesliga outfit and if he joins Chelsea, he will surely secure a major increase on that figure. The German international has a contract until 2027, indicating that the Blues will need to submit a substantial offer if they have any ambitions of signing Wirtz during the transfer window.
Could Chelsea sign Florian Wirtz this summer?
The Stamford Bridge side are undergoing a huge rebuild this summer, with a mass exodus currently occurring, as seven players have already departed and there will likely be more as the club try to keep in line with the financial fair play rules.
There will need to be some new arrivals to offset the large volume of exits however, and Wirtz could be an excellent option, with the youngster looking to follow in the same trajectory as compatriot Kai Havertz.
Havertz left Chelsea to join Arsenal following a three-year spell at the Blues and he too, like Wirtz, played for Leverkusen before making a move to the Premier League.
The duo also tend to operate in similar positions too, with Havertz perhaps more forward-thinking as he is usually deployed as a centre-forward whereas Wirtz mainly plays just behind the striker, or on the right wing if required.
The “incredible” talent – as dubbed by Fabrizio Romano – has already scored 23 times and registered 30 assists during his spell at Leverkusen, despite only turning 20 in May and Havertz also shone at the club during the embryonic stages of his career.
The 24-year-old was even more prolific, netting 46 goals while securing 31 assists during his spell in Germany and the pair have both proven they are dangerous in the final third.
The youngster has actually outshone Havertz over a few attacking metrics across the previous 365 days, completing more successful take-ons per 90 (3.87 to 0.82), shot-creating actions per 90 (5.66 to 2.48) and progressive passes per 90 (6.71 to 3.27), underlining just how effective he is in the final third, and he could even be an upgrade on the former Chelsea star judging by these statistics.
Statman Dave even went as far as to hail him a “wonderkid” and the future appears bright for the German starlet.
