Arsenal
We got here to Munich armed with a burning query and left with a fair greater one.
Our jaunt was a mission to seek out Florian Wirtz, to speak to those that know him and acquire an perception into the sensation among the many German inhabitants. Finally, we have been right here to ask: is the 22-year-old Bayer Leverkusen playmaker definitely worth the eye-watering, £100million-plus sum Liverpool are ready to cough up?
The reply to that could be a massive, fats sure. Completely sure, this particular celebrity is value each penny to interrupt the Premier League’s switch document, with proof to help our declare to comply with.
However boarding our flight residence from storm-hit Bavaria to a equally dismal north west England, we have been bugged by one other query.
Within the bowels of the Allianz Enviornment, Mail Sport lingered within the muggy combined zone – the realm the place gamers depart the bottom and take a look at their greatest to keep away from reporters hungry for a quote or two – for about an hour ready for Wirtz, who had began and scored in Germany’s 2-1 Nations League semi-final defeat by Portugal.
As he walked previous, we requested a easy query: ‘Are you excited for Liverpool, Florian?’ He shot a look in our route and nodded.
As Florian Wirtz walked previous, we requested a easy query: ‘Are you excited for Liverpool, Florian?’ The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder shot a look in our route and nodded
Our jaunt was a mission to seek out Wirtz and acquire an perception into the sensation amongst German followers
The midfielder scored Germany’s opener within the 2-1 defeat by Portugal on Wednesday evening
Greater than 4 million folks watched the video of the trade inside a number of hours of it being posted and lots of Liverpool followers misplaced their minds. Was this Wirtz giving the nod that he’ll quickly be a part of the Premier League champions?
Or, was it only a well mannered, younger chap nodding to say hey and never flat-out ignoring us? Did he even perceive the dulcet, north-west England tones of this reporter?
Effectively, we are going to let readers make their very own minds up on that – however at the least he didn’t shoot down speak of Liverpool. He has kind for denying tales after taking to social media on Tuesday to refute a German report that he was demanding Alexis Mac Allister’s No 10 shirt at Anfield.
Whatever the nonchalant nod and what it means, it seems Wirtz is certainly excited for Liverpool. Sources communicate of him brimming with enthusiasm to take this step out of his consolation zone to maneuver to England.
The Reds have damaged their switch document to signal Wirtz, after agreeing a £116million take care of Bayer Leverkusen which can embrace £100m initially and the remaining paid in bonuses.
So, what are Liverpool getting for his or her cash?
‘Florian Wirtz is the most effective participant on the planet,’ says one fan who helps Borussia Dortmund however is sporting a Wirtz No 17 Germany shirt subsequent to his pal in a Jamal Musiala jersey.
‘He’s the most effective motherf***ing participant on the planet, sorry for my dangerous English!
Sources communicate of Wirtz brimming with enthusiasm to take this step out of his consolation zone
Jamal Musiala (left) and Wirtz are the way forward for the German nationwide crew, with each aged 22
He scored the opening purpose of final yr’s Euros on residence soil as Germany beat Scotland 5-1
‘At Liverpool, he would be the No 1 participant. You’ll love him, I swear to God.’
One other fan provides: ‘His dribbling is superb, he’s improbable, technically good, he can shimmy previous different gamers. After all he can be an excellent signing for Liverpool. I believe he can win the Ballon d’Or within the subsequent few years.’
Glowing references, to say the least. Duplicate Wirtz kits have been the commonest noticed on the stroll from Frottmaning station to the Allianz. Clearly, he’s the poster boy, the chief of the subsequent technology, the child from the banks of the Rhine with the world at his toes.
He began on the left of the assault in opposition to Portugal however commonly drifted into central areas to dictate play, additionally dropping deep to get on the ball extra. Arne Slot, it’s understood, sees him as a No 10 however his versatility can solely assist because the Liverpool head coach tries to maintain the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Mac Allister within the aspect.
‘He can management the sport and the rhythm,’ says Maximilian Koch, chief reporter for the Night newspaper newspaper. ‘He jogs my memory of Andres Iniesta, a really clever and inventive participant. He may rating and help, which makes him a whole participant.’
Fellow German soccer skilled Heiko Niedderer, who has labored at BILD for 20 years protecting the nationwide crew, says: ‘He’s top-of-the-line offensive gamers we now have had. We’ve got the 2 of them, Musiala and Wirtz.
‘They’re each fairly particular however Wirtz is perhaps much more full now. He can do all the pieces. He’s actually nice on the ball, an awesome shooter, creating probabilities. He has developed very well.’
The 22-year-old scored 16 targets and assisted 14 within the season simply gone, having registered 18 targets and 19 assists within the marketing campaign earlier than, when he was the star man as Leverkusen went unbeaten to win an against-the-odds Bundesliga title – the primary of their historical past – and a German Cup in addition.
Wirtz was eager to make the change from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool for a document charge
Arne Slot, it’s understood, sees him as a No 10 however his versatility can solely assist because the Liverpool head coach tries to maintain the likes of Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister within the aspect
He has joined his former team-mate Jeremie Frimpong in swapping Leverkusen for Liverpool
The 2 ex-Bayer Leverkusen stars are good mates and see one another ‘virtually on daily basis off’
He made 6.4 dribbles per 90 minutes (Szoboszlai, who performs in the identical place, is on 1.48). He’s adept off the ball, too, and gained possession in his crew’s last third greater than another Bundesliga participant this time period.
As a personality, Wirtz is described as quiet and right down to earth. He’s one among 10 siblings born to Hanz and Karin, and his sister Juliane performs for Werder Bremen’s girls’s crew.
‘He’s a quiet man, not like a loud speaker,’ says a supply who has hung out with Wirtz. ‘He’s cleverer than you assume, solely speaks when he desires to. He’s a cool man.’
Earlier this yr, a video was shared extensively in Germany of him rating various kinds of potato, which went viral on-line. Wirtz was irked by the very fact non-football followers would now describe him as ‘potato boy’ for his dry, dead-pan Cole Palmer-like supply.
He has been along with his girlfriend Aaliyah, a mannequin, since 2022 however the pair preserve their relationship out of the general public eye. He’s massive mates with Jeremie Frimpong, whose transfer from Leverkusen to Liverpool was introduced earlier this month. ‘I’m with Jeremie virtually on daily basis off,’ Wirtz mentioned final yr. He additionally likes water sports activities.
Along with his father as his agent, most of his strikes are usually career-led somewhat than money-driven. He would have earned extra by going to Bayern Munich this summer season, for instance, however had his coronary heart set on Liverpool and has already been to the Cheshire space on a house-hunting mission.
‘I have to say I used to be fairly stunned he selected Liverpool, all of us anticipated he would go to Bayern,’ provides Niedderer. ‘However it is extremely good that he has stepped out of his consolation zone. Bayern would have been a smaller step, Liverpool is an enormous step. I believe it should do him very well.’
A transfer to Bayern would have upset Leverkusen followers, though he has kind for making unpopular strikes given his youth membership Cologne are rivals of Leverkusen and their mega-rich Bayer empire, funded by the German pharmaceutical big.
Wirtz (left) got here by way of the Cologne academy earlier than switching to rivals Leverkusen
He would have earned extra at Bayern Munich, however had his coronary heart set on Liverpool
Within the 2023-24 season, Wirtz (centre) was the star man as Leverkusen went unbeaten to win an against-the-odds Bundesliga title and a German Cup in addition
Within the recreation itself, Mail Sport stored a watch educated on Wirtz’s each transfer.
His head was all the time on the swivel even when the ball was nowhere close to him, assessing what house there was to take advantage of ought to he acquire possession – and he was let down by his team-mates at instances.
His headed purpose on Wednesday evening was not a typical Wirtz end, but it surely was the ingenuity of an acute give-and-go adopted by a pleasant dart right into a harmful space that created it.
His work price off the ball and pace have been additionally a shock and should not come throughout on TV.
Wirtz’s greatest second got here along with his first contact. Out on the left with a simple backwards go on to recycle the ball, he as an alternative performed a looking out cross to the again put up.
The ball didn’t look on and perhaps striker Nick Woltemade felt the identical as he couldn’t convert.
His head was all the time on the swivel even when the ball was nowhere close to him, assessing what house there was to take advantage of ought to he acquire possession
Whereas 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored the winner, let the sport go him by with few touches, Wirtz consistently triggered hazard
His work price off the ball and pace have been additionally a shock and should not come throughout on TV
Whereas 40-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, who scored the winner, let the sport go him by with few touches, Wirtz consistently triggered hazard. And that cross was Kevin De Bruyne-like, making one thing out of nothing.
Funnily sufficient, De Bruyne additionally got here from the Bundesliga with an enormous repute in Germany however with huge quarters of the English media calling him overpriced. Rival followers may say the identical factor now Wirtz’s transfer is wrapped up.
However as De Bruyne departs our league a six-time English champion, nobody is speaking concerning the price ticket.
As former Liverpool supervisor Jurgen Klopp as soon as mentioned: ‘It isn’t so vital what folks assume while you are available in… it is rather more vital what folks assume while you depart.’
