Florian Wirtz seems to be convinced that he came to Liverpool after conversations with the club and manager Arne Slot, with four important factors that are said to have influenced the Bayer Leverkusen -Edelsteen
Liverpool will sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen after winning the race for his signature. The Reds are now the clear favorites to sign the Germany star and have closed negotiations to conclude a deal that will be a club record transfer.
Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich wanted to sign the German from their rivals and had long been their number 1 goal. But Wirtz is no longer interested in participation. Club president Herbert Hainer admitted on Saturday: “Max Eberl [sporting director] I have let me know that Florian Wirtz is probably tending to Liverpool. '
Manchester City was also in the running, but supposedly withdrew after baulking to the financial demands of a potential deal. Leverkusen wanted to receive a reimbursement in the £ 125 million region.
Wirtz and his camp, led by his father-cum agent, Hans-Joachim, are now ready to be part of the Arne Slot project after a meeting with Liverpool. They told Bayern on Friday that they had made their choice to move to Anfield after they were convinced that his development would best be served on Merseyside, after he was impressed by head bosses – with Slot's pitch to the player who turns out to be decisive.
Wirtz was impressed by the ambition shown by the current Premier League champions, who want to build on the solid foundations that were laid in England in his first season. At the same time, Bayern's last role of the dice to close a deal, the player and his family were quite impressed.
Another advantage for Wirtz is that Slot recognizes his adaptability – a characteristic that has proved to be crucial for many stars on Anfield. He has done the same with players such as Diogo Jota, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo, who all played in multiple positions this season.
Moreover, Wirtz will have a familiar face that accompanies him on Merseyside in Jeremie Frimpong, with the Dutch international set to move his own summer from Leverkusen to Liverpool.
Although it is in European spotlights for a number of years and is already an important player for his national team, it is easy to forget that Wirtz is only 22. In 2020 he wrote history as Leverkusen's youngest player ever and the youngest score of the Bundesliga on just 17.
This season, the Young Star has yielded 16 goals and gave 15 assists in 45 performances in all competitions. Only Bayern's Michael Olise agreed in the Bundesliga for double digits in both goals and assists, while only four other players had more direct target involvement, of whom there are three strikers.
However, Wirtz is far from his full potential, and that vision of what awaits us is a crucial part of the allure of Liverpool. First, in terms of his personal development, but also how the club apparently convinced him of their broader ambitions.
The current Liverpool team is peppered with talents who joined the club in their early 1920s and have since risen to new heights. Players such as Ryan Gravenberch, Ibrahima Konate and Dominik Szoboszlai have been transferred to Anfield in similar stages in their career and are now integral parts of the team, have not forgotten their own star stars such as Curtis Jones and Conor Bradley.
Given this track record of cherishing young talent, it makes sense for Wirtz to see how this could benefit him. This is also in line with the wider vision at Anfield, which offers the club in a strong position for future success.
In terms of playing style, there are different positions where Wirtz could fit under lock, although it could take some time to identify his best role. Xabi Alonso mainly used Wirtz as a no. 10 during his term of office at Leverkusen, but the player also seemed to be on both flanks and even a false nine – a role for which he is supposed to have been reserved in Anfield.
Because of this same openness for experiments, players such as Diaz, Jota and Gakpo have thrown on Merseyside. In addition, Slot has demonstrated his ability to implement these players outside their usual roles and still achieve success.
Finally, Liverpool's striving for Dutch full-back Frimpong is almost as important. The graduated Manchester City Academy comes close to returning to England after his medical before a relocation of £ 30 million.
The two have grown nearby in recent years and are in the dressing room in the Bayarena. Frimpong, 24, even gave Wirtz lifts to training before the latter succeeded.