In Barça's offices, they had been working quietly for months on a strategic signing for this summer. Hansi Flick's new project prioritized strengthening the left wing with a young and unbalancing profile. A player the coach knows well and considers key to his play style.
The problem wasn't the desire, but the competition. From England, a giant also had him in its sights. In the end, they've won the race with an offer that's hard to match.
Joan Laporta | @FCBarcelona_es
An offer of €150 million ($150 million) changes everything
Barça is left without its most desired piece to complete the new attack.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the news nobody at Can Barça wanted to hear. The English club has closed the deal with the German team, agreeing to pay the €150 million ($150 million) required by the release clause. A move that rules out any Barça option.
The signing will become official in the coming days, once the player passes the medical examination. The operation places him among the three most expensive transfers in history.
Deco | @deco_official
The coach trusted his arrival to strengthen the trident with Lamine and Raphinha.
Since his arrival, Flick had marked him as his main request. He believed his talent and vision were what the team needed. A young player, but with experience, capable of deciding matches on his own.
Barça tried to get closer, but the price was an impossible barrier. With the pressure of financial fair play, they could never formalize an offer that could compete with the English one.
Hansi Flick | @FCBarcelona
A German gem who has dazzled in Europe
His numbers this season justify the interest from the big clubs.
In the last campaign, he played 45 matches, scoring 16 goals and providing 15 assists. His ability to move between the lines, link up, and reach the box has caught the attention of half of Europe.
He has been the offensive engine of his team, becoming the most decisive player in the German championship. His progression is constant and his room for improvement is enormous.
He always showed sympathy for the Catalan club, but fate has been different.
Throughout his career, he didn't hide his admiration for the Barça model. There were even photos circulating of him as a child wearing the blaugrana jersey. Many saw him as a sure signing, just a matter of time.
But modern soccer is decided by numbers. This time, the economic power of the Premier has been decisive.
Florian Wirtz | Bayer Leverkusen
Liverpool signs him, Barça is left without its chosen one
The deal closes at €150 million ($150 million), a blow to Barça's planning.
In the end, the player chosen by Hansi Flick won't land at Camp Nou. Liverpool has won the bid and takes him as one of its major summer signings.
It's Florian Wirtz, the young German who was at the top of Barça's list. His arrival would have been Barça's big move in this market. Now, that door has closed.
