Florian Wirtz chose Liverpool over Bayern Munich during the summer transfer window, and the German club's board member for sport, Max Eberl, has confirmed they held talks
Florian Wirtz arriving at a stadium
Florian Wirtz chose between Bayern Munich and Liverpool
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Bayern Munich board member for sport, Max Eberl, has confirmed the club made it clear during summer discussions that they wanted to sign Florian Wirtz. Liverpool instead bought the Germany international from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial £100million and another £16million in add-ons.
Wirtz is yet to score a single goal since the switch and has just three assists across all competitions. Two of those came in one match, a 5-1 away win over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League.
After impressing in his only match against Bundesliga opposition this season, Eberl has addressed whether Wirtz would be better off at Bayern. Their board member told Bild: "We made it clear in all our discussions that we would have loved to have him at FC Bayern and that he would have been a great fit for us.
"Florian then chose Liverpool. I wish him all the best in representing German football in the Premier League."
Eberl also spoke about whether Bayern discussed shirt numbers with Wirtz. He said: "Shirt numbers are an important topic for players."
During the interview, Eberl was also asked whether the number ten shirt Wirtz wanted, and now wears for Liverpool, was already promised to Jamal Musiala after being vacated by Leroy Sane. He said: "We were completely transparent about that as well."
Eberl also acknowledged that the club remain convinced they made the correct decisions during last summer's transfer window. Bayern also missed out on Nick Woltemade to Newcastle United.
He said: "No matter what the debates surrounding us were like: We were always convinced of what we did, even if one or two things – like the signing of Florian Wirtz and Nick Woltemade – didn't work out. We are convinced of the path we are on, but we are also aware of the dangers that still lurk."
Bayern's former chief executive, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, was much more bullish when speaking to Welt about Wirtz last month. He said: "I have to be honest, I still feel sorry for Florian Wirtz because I believe he would have been better off at Bayern Munich than at Liverpool."
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The head coach who gave Wirtz his professional debut, Peter Bosz, however, is positive the player will prove to be a success in the Premier League. Bosz, who is now PSV head coach, told TNT Sports: "I'm sure, I'm really sure, because he is intelligent.
"Those players, they always find the solutions to what they have to do, where they have to progress and how to protect themselves and be able to play in the Premier League, so I'm confident he will succeed."
Recalling their time together at Leverkusen, Bosz said: "This was, for me, the biggest talent I have ever seen. I've worked with some really good talents, but what I saw in him was incredible. Technically, perfect. Very intelligent. Good mentality.
"I played him as a right winger in the beginning, but he did so well that I put him in his position, the 10 position, and never changed it."