Wirtz’s comparisons to Havertz have not come from his style of play, although both occupy a similar position. Wirtz is a good few inches shorter than his German compatriot.
But the pair were briefly team-mates at Leverkusen in 2020. Wirtz made his senior debut in May 2020 at the age of 17, breaking Havertz’s record of being the youngest player to play for the club in a league match.
Once Havertz left for Chelsea, it was down to Wirtz to step up and replace him. He made an immediate impression as a teenager and won his first cap for Germany later that season.
A cruciate knee ligament injury ruled him out for much of 2022, including the World Cup in Qatar. But he is back firing in a Leverkusen shirt and with over three-and-a-half years remaining on his contract, his value continues to rise.
