Where would Florian Wirtz fit in at Barcelona?

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It’s shaping up to be a busy summer at Barcelona, with incomings and outgoings expected as the club look to improve their financial situation ahead of next season.

On Tuesday, Joan Laporta outlined the club’s plans for the transfer window, which will see reinforcements in defence and attack prioritised. However, Barca’s spending will be reduced compared to usual, which could limit their target pool.

Midfield is not an obvious area of concern according to club officials, which indicates that signings with not be targeted in this position this summer. However, Barcelona could look further ahead as they plan for being back at full strength in the future.

One player that is on the club’s radar for a future move is Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz. The 19-year-old is considered be one of the most exciting players in European football, having broken on to the scene in 2020. He also already has four caps for Germany, despite still being a teenager.

Sport report that Barcelona officials have made preliminary contact with father over a move to Catalonia. However, with their financial predicament, a move cannot be considered this summer at least, so Barca are hoping that Wirtz holds out for a move to the club in the future.

Wirtz is reportedly a huge fan of Barcelona, which could play into their hands as they plan for his future signing. However, as he typically plays as an attacking midfielder or second striker, he doesn’t typically fit into the club’s current 4-3-3 system.

However, being just 19, there is plenty of time for him to adapt into more of an “8” style player, which would be ideal for Barcelona. Wirtz has the capability, and he can very much be classed as a “Barca-style” player. His statistics shows how good he is at passing and linking up play, while he also ranks highly for defensive work in his position.

Wirtz’s most impressive attribute is his dribbling, and he certainly is build in the mould of a Lionel Messi-esque player, which will greatly excite Barcelona fans who dream that the Argentine magician returns to the club. Instead, they could get his younger, and German, alternative.

Barcelona’s worry will be whether Wirtz stays at Bayer Leverkusen long enough for them to get back on their feet in a financial sense. He is too good of a plyer to not be snapped up by one of the bug clubs in Europe, and they will inevitably come calling over the next year or so.

Barcelona have the advantage that Wirtz loves the club, but it seems unlikely that he’d put his career on hold for extra time as he waits around for them to sort their finances out, especially at a crucial stage of his development.

Ultimately, Wirtz would be well suited to both Barcelona and Spanish football, and he’d certainly be an asset to both. However, it remains to be seen whether the move can be manufactured over the next couple of years.