Liverpool's record -breaking catch from Florian Wirtz was not only driven by money – it started with a feeling.
The temptation of Anfield, the weight of his history and the vision laid out turned out to be irresistible when the chase for the 22-year-old came to three clubs.
Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Liverpool all made their pitch. All offered money, status and promises. But only one club offered everything Wirtz was looking.
For some it felt a surprise that Liverpool was able to take the command of the situation – but the club has kept an eye on him for years.
Executive staff were aware of Wirtz since his very early days at FC Koln, and although the player himself also admired Liverpool for a long time, a 4-0 Champions League defeat in November also became the key.
While he was on the losing side that night, the football arena and the culture in him led that would be crucial for the final catch of Liverpool.
Wirtz's attacks carries in the Bundesligaopta by StatsPerform
At the time, this was not fully realized. There was even a strong conviction that if he ended up in England, it would be in Manchester City colors that he would wear.
Pep Guardiola had made a personal field and explained Wirtz and his representatives how they could see him take over the role of Kevin De Bruyne.
There was a deep thought behind the move, with Wirtz to become a center of the team that would bounce back to Glory in 2025/26.
Wirtz was interested – but also had reservations. Most of them were attached to what would happen if Guardiola left the club.
The success of the city was driven by its football vision – but Guardiola could not give any guarantees about what would happen outside his current deal that ended in 2027.
It would be publicly observed that City made the choice to run away from the deal, with reference to the excessive figures that have been confirmed as too expensive.
Other sources do not believe that this is the case. Instead, Wirtz still wondered about a life in Liverpool, who came to Premier League Glory under the new coach Arne Slot.
Yet Bayern Munich was also in the photo. It is rare that a huge talent in the Bundesliga can leave without at least trying to sign Bayern – and the German powerhouses had done years of groundwork to position themselves with Wirtz.
Bayern believed that they had the inside of Wirtz and were convinced that they could close a deal.
In May they seriously started their attempt to sign him home and while the people around Wirtz were impressed by what was offered, Wirtz himself was not so convinced that it was good for him.
At the same time, Liverpool civil servants are putting on a show of power and passion to convince him that Anfield could really make it at home of his dreams.
Boss Slot played his role with calmness and authority and explained how he would get freedom in the team. He becomes no. 10 in Anfield, but even if he plays on the left, he will have a feeling of creative license and new goal.
Wirtz was impressed by the way Liverpool spoke about improving him as an individual, but also about how they wanted to thrive as a team.
Towards the end of May, Liverpool had won him at any negotiating level. The paperwork would come later, but the decision was made.
Liverpool not only publishes their rivals – and that is how City of Bayern might want to dress this up. They made them out of it and planted a special feeling in Wirtz that could not match any amount of money.
Wirtz chose to be the center of something new with the Premier League champions – and now Liverpool fans have every reason to believe that they have secured the crown jewel of Europe's next generation.