Liverpool are confident of securing the signature of Bayer Leverkusen’s attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz in the coming weeks.
The 22-year-old midfielder was heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich, but Wirtz is now keen on moving to Liverpool instead.
According to a report from The Athletic, the Reds have submitted an offer to sign Wirtz worth up to €130 million (£109m) in total.
Details of Bayern Munich’s secret meeting with Florian Wirtz
Florian Wirtz looks on during Bundesliga game.
(Photo by Pau Barrena/Getty Images)
Bayern were convinced at one point that Wirtz would pick them over Liverpool. The German giants were even willing to pay a massive transfer fee for his signature.
The Bavarian club held a “secret meeting” with Wirtz, and more details have emerged, which should excite the Liverpool fanbase.
On May 23, Wirtz shocked Bayern by turning down their offers. He made it clear to the Bundesliga champions that he wants the next challenge in his career, and that’s not with Bayern.
According to a report from SZ, Bayern management had tried everything to convince Wirtz to join them at a secret meeting in Munich.
The meeting took place on May 18, the same day Bayern players celebrated with the championship trophy in front of fans at the town hall balcony.
The Bayern chiefs held a meeting with him at the underground parking garage of a hotel in Munich. Uli Hoeneß, Max Eberl, Christoph Freund, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Christian Dreesen were all present with the sole aim of convincing him to join Bayern.
Wirtz then held another meeting with Vincent Kompany in a separate room. Kompany showed him a presentation and spoke for an hour, but he “already expressed serious doubts” that signing the German international would be possible.
Arne Slot managed to convince Florian Wirtz to join Liverpool
Arne Slot, the Reds boss, made a big impression on Wirtz, according to Bild, by presenting him with a clear description of his position. Slot assured him of a central role in the forward line.
Liverpool fans will be delighted to discover that Wirtz was impressed by Slot’s passion and overall presentation, and he made the decision to move to Anfield.
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge made a personal attempt to convince him, but Wirtz felt the move to Liverpool would be the right step in his career.
Bayern considering other options after missing out on Wirtz
Wirtz is widely regarded as a generational talent, and missing out on him is a huge transfer blow for Bayern.
The German giants are exploring other options, with Crystal Palace’s attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze having emerged as a potential cheaper alternative.
Bayern could also look to sign a new left winger with the futures of Leroy Sane and Kingsley Coman in doubt.
The German giants have been linked with Kaoru Mitoma (Brighton) and Rafael Leao (AC Milan) in recent weeks, but they have not yet tabled an offer for either of them.
The Bayern Insider: Munich fears Liverpool in Florian Wirtz transfer poker