One of the players in the Premier League who would know exactly what to expect from Florian Wirtz if he signed for Liverpool is Ilkay Gundogan — who has played with him on several instances for Germany.
Liverpool could sign Wirtz for £110 million as it seems like the Reds are edging closer to making their club-record signing.
A deal could be completed soon, with Liverpool hoping to sign Wirtz by Monday and kick off their summer spending in style.
While the 21-year-old has shown how special a player he is for Bayern Leverkusen and Germany over the years, he is still a bit of an unknown commodity in England.
In January, Gundogan was asked by The Ranveer Show about his thoughts on Florian Wirtz in January after having trained and played with him on numerous occasions.
Photo by Oliver Kaelke/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Photo by Oliver Kaelke/DeFodi Images via Getty Images
Ilkay Gundogan said Liverpool target Florian Wirtz needs to win the Champions League
It was brought up to Ilkay Gundogan that Wirtz as well as Jamal Musiala are already world-class players.
However, the Manchester City midfielder felt that as things stand, his fellow countryman is yet to reach such a standard.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot rates Wirtz highly and so does Gundogan but he believes that Wirtz needs to win the Champions League to be considered world-class: “[Wirtz and Musiala are] At least very close to world-class, maybe they are not yet there but they could be the best in the world.”
“I feel like it’s maybe just proving themselves a little bit more, you know? But they are still very young and especially Jamal maybe has done a bit more than Florian because he played for a little more on that high level. So, I feel like when you want to be on top and want to be remembered as the world’s best one day, I just feel like it’s necessary to win the Champions League, first of all.”
“I feel like that’s a very big one. Jamal has already played a few years now in the Champions League but hasn’t won it yet. I think for Flo, it’s now the first season of Champions League competition with Leverkusen.”
Jeremie Frimpong lauded Wirtz and so did Gundogan as he believes he has the potential to become a truly elite player in the future.
“So, I feel like to be there every single year and at least try to compete to get into the semis or the finals, you know and win it at one point is unavoidable to be world-class, one of the best. But of course, they have the potential to do that, they have the quality. I played with them now for the last one and half, two years in the national team and both of them, they probably have everything to be there and they’re already proving it right now, with their team and their national team.”
German players who have won the Champions League for Liverpool
In total, nine German players have played for the Merseyside-based club and if Wirtz makes a surprising move to Liverpool, he would be the 10th.
GERMAN PLAYERS TO HAVE PLAYED FOR LIVERPOOL
LORIS KARIUS
EMRE CAN
SAMED YESIL
MARKUS BABBEL
CHRISTIAN ZIEGE
DIETMAR HAMANN
SEAN DUNDEE
KARL-HEINZ RIEDLE
MELKAMU FRAUENDORF
FLORIAN WIRTZ (IF HE SIGNS)
Out of the aforementioned names, only Dietmar Hamann won Europe’s elite competition in 2005.
If Wirtz replicates Hamann’s feat in a Liverpool shirt, there is no doubt that Gundogan and many others will crown him as a world-class player.