Bayern Munich’s summer transfer plans have already taken a major shift with the news that they’ve lost out to Liverpool for the transfer of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen. Their sighs have already turned elsewhere despite the fact that Wirtz was their planned, blockbuster signing for the better part of the past season leading up to the summer transfer window, but what’s done is done.
While nothing is entirely done and dusted, it is fully anticipated that Wirtz will soon be completing his move to Liverpool, who have just celebrated winning the Premier League title under new manager Arne Slot. It was reportedly conversations with the Dutch manager that really convinced Wirtz to pick Liverpool over Bayern even though the German Rekordmeister’s front office had plenty of confidence in recent months of being able to get Leverkusen’s playmaker.
For Liverpool fans, there’s jubilation, but for Bayern fans, there’s a bit of bitterness. For former Leverkusen manager Rudi Völler, he was holding on to hope that Wirtz would possibly decide to stay with the 2023/24 Bundesliga champions for at least another season.
“I had a small hope that he might stay at Bayer Leverkusen for another year and then move to an even bigger club. We’re basically happy to have a player like that in Germany,” the ex-Germany and Leverkusen player and manager told Bild (via Sport Bild).
Liverpool FC v Bayer 04 Leverkusen - UEFA Champions League 2024/25 League Phase MD4 Photo by Jörg Schüler/Bayer 04 Leverkusen via Getty Images
Prior to pen being put to paper to become a Liverpool player, Wirtz’s contract with Leverkusen runs through June 2027, but Simons Rolfes and the rest of Leverkusen’s front office know how much of a financial opportunity this is for Die Werkself. Being able to sell Wirtz for upwards of 150 million euros is rather tough to say ‘no’ to, especially since the second half of next season would have seen him enter into the final year on his contract.
Regardless of if Wirtz is playing at Liverpool or one of Europe’s other footballing giants, Völler is quite certain the playmaker will go on to have an illustrious career. “He will have a sensational dream career. I am firmly convinced of that. He is already an exceptional player and of course still has room for improvement. We will still have a lot of fun with this boy,” he enthused.