Just in case treble-winning Manchester City weren't a frightening enough proposition already, Pep Guardiola's side could be about to add another rising superstar their ranks.
The young sensation that the Premier League and European champions are eyeing is Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz.
The 20-year-old has fought back from a significant ACL injury to reclaim his place as Leverkusen's chief creator, performing sensationally in Xabi Alonso's table-topping Bundesliga outfit.
Wirtz is a player of unbelievable quality and potential, but exactly why might Man City want to sign the Leverkusen man?
What can Florian Wirtz bring to Manchester City?
Operating primarily as a number ten playing off the prolific Victor Boniface, Wirtz has continued his impressive rise to stardom this season. The 12-cap Germany international took little time to get back up to speed in the second half of the last campaign following his long injury layoff, but has taken his game to a new level this term.
Wirtz's statistical output is quite frightening. In just 15 games this season, the midfielder has produced six goals and nine assists in all competitions, netting in successive Bundesliga matches against Freiburg and most recently Hoffenheim.
Leverkusen's young prodigy is one of the key reasons why they are top of the Bundesliga and still unbeaten this campaign. Wirtz's creativity and ingenuity has helped Leverkusen average three goals per game in the league this season, finding space in dangerous areas around the penalty box and helping dictate his team's attacking tempo.
Wirtz's technical prowess makes him a devastating threat in the opposition half and the kind of player Guardiola loves to recruit at the Etihad Stadium. He averages over four progressive carries per Bundesliga game this term, also ranking in the top two percent of midfielders in the division for progressive passes per 90 (7.74).
The 20-year-old possesses great accuracy in his passing, with an 83.3% completion rate and an average of just under 62 passes per game in the Bundesliga this season. Wirtz's quick feet, technical quality and ability to drift past opponents makes him an often unstoppable asset for Alonso at the BayArena.
Wirtz arguably resembles several of Man City's current world-beaters, with the likes of Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden sharing similarities with the Leverkusen phenom. His close control in tight areas and attacking intelligence would undoubtedly make him a star in Manchester, especially under the tutelage of Guardiola.
Alonso has previously compared Wirtz to Lionel Messi in style, something that will certainly get Guardiola's pulse racing.
"Why is Messi so good?" said Alonso. "Because he knows how and when to play simple passes. Messi says: 'You're in a better position? Here, there you have the ball!' It's not always about making the most brilliant move, but the best and smartest. Florian can do that. That's why he's so good."
If Wirtz can offer half as much as the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner across his career, he will prove a sensational player. While currently playing at an elite level, he has the potential to get even better, a scary proposition for other Premier League sides should he make the switch to the Etihad.
Wirtz's 2023/24 season in numbers so far
How close is Florian Wirtz to joining Manchester City?
While Wirtz is of great interest to many of Europe's elite clubs, a move to Man City could be on the cards. 90min understands the Cityzens sent scouts to keep an eye on the German during Leverkusen's recent 3-2 win over Hoffenheim, a game in which Wirtz scored the opener.
Man City have kept an eye on Wirtz's progress for several years but they are not the only club in the hunt for the exciting midfielder. His price tag is also likely to be stratospheric, although that has seldom dissuaded the seven-time Premier League champions from signing players they admire in the past.
Leverkusen may also have to rebuff Man City interest in another one of their midfielders, with Argentine Exequiel Palacios also on the club's radar after some impressive performances.
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This article was originally published on 90min as Why do Man City want to sign Florian Wirtz? Strengths, stats and chances of deal.
