sportwitness.co.uk

“Feel sorry for him” – President quizzed about signing Liverpool’s ‘outstanding player’ in January

Bayern Munich president Herbert Hainer has hailed Liverpool star Florian Wirtz when asked about the possibility of signing him for the Bavarian club.

The attacking midfielder graduated from Bayer Leverkusen’s academy and spent five years with their first team. He managed 57 goals and 65 assists from 197 matches, of which 16 goals and 15 assists were during the 2024/25 season.

His fine displays for Leverkusen caught the attention of a few clubs, including Vincent Kompany’s side. Liverpool won the battle and invested €125m to secure his services in June 2025.

However, the Germany international is yet to replicate his Leverkusen form for the Reds. Last season, Wirtz finished with seven goals and 10 assists, with nine goal contributions in the league. This season, he’s failed to score and has two assists from eight matches.

Liverpool exit idea floated

The 23-year-old has been a subject of constant criticism both in the UK and Germany for his Liverpool performances. A section of the German media has also defended him.

On September 30th, SportBild reported the player is unhappy with the ‘internal power struggles’ at Anfield and may be edging towards an exit. The latest claims have talked about Bayern Munich as an option.

Herbert Hainer has wasted no time in dismissing the possibility of signing the Liverpool star in January. The Bavarian club’s president attended an event to unveil a memorial plaque for Willi Buisson on Friday.

He spoke to the media, and reporters asked him about the possibility of signing Florian Wirtz.

Florian Wirtz

||||

Statistic Leverkusen Liverpool

Period 2020–2025 2025–present

Appearances 197 57

Minutes played 14,315 4,153

Goals 57 7

Assists 62 10

Goals + assists 119 17

Minutes per goal 251.1 593.3

Minutes per goal contribution 120.3 244.3

Senior competitive club matches, including domestic super cups.

Goal contribution = goal or assist. Lower minutes per contribution is better.

Assists follow Opta definitions.

Source:

Opta Analyst

· Updated 17 October 2026, before Brentford vs Liverpool

Why Bayern won’t sign Liverpool man

Herbert Hainer first expresses his disappointment at the player not reaching his best at Liverpool. Bild have relayed his comments.

“First of all, I think Florian Wirtz is an outstanding player, there’s absolutely no question about that,” he said.

“I almost feel a little sorry for him that he hasn’t yet reached the same form in England that he had at Leverkusen, because we also need him for the German national team.”

The president then explains why Bayern Munich won’t attempt to sign Florian Wirtz.

“We have such a top-class squad, we’re incredibly happy at the moment, and therefore it’s not an issue for us,” Hainer explained.

Bild states the president’s admission should rule out a move for Wirtz in January. He has a contract until 2030, and Andoni Iraola’s side are unlikely to let him leave midway through the season.

Read full news in source page