Liverpool might be keen to snap up Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz this summer for what will be a record transfer fee, but Brazilian superstar Neymar isn't sure who the German playmaker is.
Yesterday, Santos played against RB Leipzig in a friendly. Xavi Simons, who has also been linked with Liverpool, scored twice. Neymar started but was taken off at halftime.
In a clip that has been widely shared since the game was played, Neymar was asked about Wirtz but didn't seem to understand the question. Asked if he knew who Wirtz was, Neymar replied "No" with a baffled expression.
Then questioned by Sky Germany on Jamal Musiala, though, Neymar said: "A great player; a 'crack'. I think he will be one of the greatest in the future."
The word 'crack' means a team's star player, around which the rest of the starting XI is built around. It is usually the number 10, who has the most skill and whose impact can make all the difference to his team's hopes.
And though Neymar doesn't seem sure, Liverpool very much is when it comes to Wirtz. The player scored 16 goals and laid on another 15 for his teammates last season and is valued at well over $100M.
Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen.
Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen. (Image: Grzegorz Wajda/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
"Florian Wirtz has made a decision and I believe it's the right one," former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann said live on Sky Germany. "Things are really happening at Liverpool under Arne Slot.
"They'll sign, or want to sign, two or three other players, from what I hear. That's why I think Wirtz has made a very good decision.
"Liverpool is a global club, and they've demonstrated that in the negotiations. They've probably been in contact with Florian Wirtz for weeks or months, and they've never heard anything.
"I think the Wirtz family was also impressed by how they handled it: discreetly, quietly, all in the background."
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Fanatics Official Sports Apparel — Liverpool
Liverpool is in talks for Wirtz at the moment and could also snap up Jeremie Frimpong. The Bayer Leverkusen wing-back has a release clause worth $39 million (£30 million) written into his contract, making it a considerably easier deal to get done.
"He has shown it at the highest level against big opponents with Leverkusen, and I think he would be up for the challenge," Christopher Jullien, who played for Celtic alongside Frimpong and now represents Montpellier, said this week. "He's a really good player."
Liverpool.com says: Neymar might not know Wirtz but the Germany star is one of the best players in the world already. If Liverpool can get a deal over the line for him, it would be a monumental deal that would really transform the team in the final third.