Michael Ballack has backed Florian Wirtz's decision to sign for Liverpool, stating that a move to Bayern Munich would have been 'nonsensical'. But he said the Bundesliga must make changes after losing another of its stars to the Premier League. Despite interest from Bayern and Manchester City, 22-year-old Wirtz chose Anfield as his new home. Liverpool shelled out a hefty £116million to Bayer Leverkusen for the German international, setting a new British record.
However, this record was short-lived, lasting less than two months before it was broken by Arne Slot's team with their £125m acquisition of Alexander Isak. Wirtz's start at Anfield has been met with mixed reviews, having yet to score or assist in three Premier League matches. During the international break, however, the midfielder showcased his talent with a spectacular free-kick in Germany's 3-1 victory over Northern Ireland.
Ballack, who transferred from Leverkusen to Bayern in 2006, wasn't shocked to see Wirtz take a different path, lamenting the disparity between the Bundesliga and Premier League.
"Would it have made sense for [Wirtz] and his development to play another two or three years in the Bundesliga with Bayern?" Ballack said to Sport Bild. "Of course, he would win championships there.
"But is the Bundesliga still the ultimate challenge for him at the highest level? No, because the Bundesliga was left behind by the Premier League years ago.
"That's the reality. That's why it is generally no longer as attractive for the absolute top players. That's why changes are necessary."
Ballack's sentiments mirror those of Bayern manager Vincent Kompany, who also expressed disappointment over Wirtz's decision to snub them. The Bundesliga champions had their sights set on Stuttgart striker Nick Woltemade, but Newcastle swooped in with a £65m deal last month, leaving Bayern empty-handed.
Kompany bemoaned: "It simply says a lot when you see how many top players have moved from the Bundesliga to the Premier League in the last 12 months and also in this transfer window, the sums of money that are flowing there," adding, "The Premier League has brutal opportunities."
He continued: "Not just one, two, or three clubs, many clubs. Newcastle is a good club, but not in the top tier. The amount of money circulating there is enormous. How much money has flowed from the Premier League to the Bundesliga, but also how much quality has moved to the Premier League."