Chelsea will have to go head-to-head with Real Madrid if they wish to sign Bayer Leverkusen wonderkid Florian Wirtz, according to reports in Spain.
The 18-year-old has impressed for both club and country this season and has a host of admirers across Europe.
As per El Nacional, Chelsea are set to rival Real Madrid for the teenager's signature.
The report states that Thomas Tuchel's side have been monitoring Wirtz for a while, with the German manager asking to make the midfielder a priority for next summer.
However, Leverkusen value the youngster at £85 million, more than the Blues paid to bring Kai Havertz to Stamford Bridge from Leverkusen.
Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Manchester United and Newcastle United are also on the list of top European clubs watching the midfielder.
However, the Blues have a strong relationship with Leverkusen and could once again prise away one of their stars.
The German has a contract which expires in 2026, meaning that a heft fee would likely be required to tempt the German club into selling.
Wirtz's father has previously discussed his future.
What has Hans-Joachim Wirtz said?
"Florian definitely wants to play a good role in Leverkusen for the next two years," Hans-Joachim Wirtz told Bild via bulinews.com.
"What comes after that, we do not know yet. But his focus right now is only on Bayer and the national team."
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