Florian Wirtz, who is one of the most sought-after players in this summer’s transfer market, is said to be on the verge of joining Liverpool.
Despite strong interest from the likes of Manchester City and Bayern Munich, Wirtz has opted to join Liverpool, with reports stating that Arne Slot’s chat proved to be crucial in helping the player make his decision.
Liverpool are expected to spend big on Wirtz, with reports suggesting that the fee could be around £110m.
Wirtz’s transfer to Liverpool appears imminent, with negotiations in the final stages for a five-year deal.
Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images
Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images
Despite being one of the most sought-after players this summer, there are some who have not even heard of the German, including Brazil legend Neymar.
Neymar surprisingly unaware of Liverpool target Florian Wirtz
Florian Wirtz’s name is likely on every top club’s transfer wishlist thanks to his remarkable talent, though it seems Brazilian superstar Neymar isn’t familiar with him.
In an interview with Sky Sports Germany, Neymar admitted he does not know Wirtz when asked if the Bayer Leverkusen star.
However, when the reporter asked if he knew Jamal Musiala, Neymar instantly recognised the Bayern Munich star and praised him, saying he believes Musiala will become one of the greatest players in the future.
Neymar being unaware of Wirtz is not likely to go down well with Liverpool fans who are anxiously waiting for the transfer to be officially announced.
Comparing Florian Wirtz with Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala
Musiala is another outstanding talent in German football, and alongside Wirtz, he’s set to dominate world football for years to come.
At Euro 2024, when starting together for Germany, Musiala usually played in the right half-space and Wirtz in the left, both in advanced midfield roles behind the striker.
For their clubs, they both take on flexible No. 10 roles, leading the attack with creativity, with the pair wrapping up impressive individual seasons.
Musiala scored 18 goals and provided eight assists in 40 appearances across all competitions. Meanwhile, Wirtz racked up 16 goals and 15 assists in 45 games.
Statistically, they are closely matched. Wirtz edges ahead in shot-creating actions, averaging 5.66 per 90 minutes compared to Musiala’s 5.56, and significantly leads in goal-creating actions with 0.99 per 90 to Musiala’s 0.45.
Stats Florian Wirtz Jamal Musiala
Games Played 45 40
Goals 16 18
Assists 15 8
Shot-Creating Actions (per 90) 5.66 5.56
Goal-Creating Actions (per 90) 0.99 0.45
Progressive Carries (per 90) 5.02 3.55
Progressive Passes (per 90) 6.74 5.35
Key Passes (per 90) 2.18 2.05
Florian Wirtz vs Jamal Musiala stats
In terms of ball progression stats, Wirtz again edges ahead with 5.02 progressive carries and 6.74 progressive passes per 90, while Musiala records 3.55 and 5.35 respectively. Wirtz also holds a slight advantage in key passes, 2.18 to Musiala’s 2.05.
There is no doubt that these two 22-year-olds are top-tier talents with massive futures ahead of themselves.
Given how similar their output is, the only reason Neymar might not yet be familiar with Wirtz could simply come down to the clubs they currently represent.