Newcastle United are now reportedly 'hot' to sign Florian Wirtz after sending scout Geoff Lockhart to watch him in action.
The Lowdown: Emerging superstar
Wirtz is certainly the next big name coming out of German football at the moment at just 18 years of age, as Germany coach Hansi Flick described him as an 'outstanding technician' ahead of one of his team's most recent FIFA World Cup qualifying games.
Jorg Jakobs, who is the Academy Director at Wirtz's former club Cologne, claimed that the now Bayer Leverkusen talent 'can do everything', and footballing legend Lotthar Matthaus even went as far as to say that he will be the 'second Kai Havertz', emulating the Chelsea and UEFA Champions League match-winning star (Bundesliga).
The Latest: Newcastle 'hot'
As per SportBild (via Sport Witness), the St. James' Park faithful are 'hot' to sign Wirtz, and have joined a number of sides chasing the prospect.
They sent Lockhart to watch the attacking midfield player in action against FC Koln at the weekend, but a move has been 'ruled out' for now as he is set to stay at Leverkusen until 2023 at the earliest.
Experts have predicted that his transfer value could soar up to a whopping €100m (£84.4m) by then, a price that the North East club would be able to afford given the takeover from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) consortium.
The Verdict: No brainer
If the Tyneside outfit can persuade Wirtz to move to the Magpies, then it is certainly a no brainer for them to sign him.
It is scary to think how good he can become at just 18, considering that he is already performing at the highest level and all those aforementioned plaudits.
A run of six goals and six assists in 12 appearances in total over all competitions so far this season earned him a call-up to the senior national team (Transfermarkt), and Wirtz would certainly be a mainstay in the Toon midfield for years to come if he makes the move.