Florian Wirtz will be a perfect fit at Liverpool, according to one former Red who made the same move from Bayer Leverkusen.
The German international looks to be close to completing his move to Anfield after Liverpool made a third bid worth an initial $135 million, with up to $18 million in add-ons. Negotiations continue with Leverkusen, although Wirtz has already been convinced on the move.
Some reports have even suggested that a medical could be conducted soon. In any case, it is widely thought that both Liverpool and Leverkusen are eager to get the deal done quickly, with Wirtz expected to join former teammate Jeremie Frimpong at Anfield.
The pair would join a fairly exclusive club, with Wirtz potentially becoming just the seventh player to turn out for both Liverpool and Leverkusen. Erik Meijer was the first to make the move between the two clubs, joining the Reds on a free transfer 26 years ago.
Now a leading pundit in Germany, the 55-year-old has given his thoughts on Wirtz’s expected move, with the former Netherlands international unable to hide his joy.
“Oh, I'm so excited. He will fit in directly, really! Don’t worry!” Meijer told the Liverpool Echo.
“But I'm also really happy that he made a choice to go somewhere else, not to go to Bayern Munich.
“That would be the easy step. And to find out ‘how good am I in world football’, then you have to go step up and Liverpool is a big step up.
Liverpool are hoping to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen this summer
Liverpool are hoping to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen this summer (Image: Photo by Hesham Elsherif/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
“We saw that when they met in the Champions League against each other (this season). Liverpool is a big step up for him and I'm very curious to see how good Flo is in the Premier League.
“I think he is (ready to move to the Premier League). He's not somebody who is thinking too much about which steps to take.
“I just see him more like a kid who just wants a ball, a pair of football shoes, and goes on a grass field and plays some football.
“That's the way he is, and he makes it look so very easy. Yes, it is good to take the step and also take a step to another competition.
“He is a champion of the Bundesliga, he won the cup in Germany, so then it's good to test yourself in another league.
“In my opinion, he will be a diamond in the Premier League as well.”
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Meijer added: “(I’m) not really (surprised that he’s chosen Liverpool). The last couple of years we see more players who everybody thought would go to Bayern Munich, they go somewhere else.
“The magic of Munich is a little bit gone. That maybe has to do with the fact that internationally they are also not winning the last couple of years, the Champions League or whatever.
“And it's also very interesting for young players to go abroad. It's another competition, it's another culture and I think also an important thing is the payment. The payment will be very good in England.”
Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong look on after a Bayer Leverkusen game
Florian Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong could both be in Liverpool's lineup next season (Image: Getty Images)
Wirtz’s signing looks set to be a major coup for Liverpool. The 22-year-old is considered one of the world’s biggest stars right now, leading to interest from the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City and, of course, Bayern.
For the Reds to win the race for his signature then is a real statement of intent after winning the Premier League title, and Meijer is expecting him to fit right in at Anfield.
“He has unbelievable dribbling, his one against one, he's very clever running between the lines and he can give the split pass to the striker or to somebody in front who he can put in on a one on one with the goalkeeper, that's his abilities.
“He also is the one who can take a free kick. And he's always on the move. It's not only his offensive work, but defensively under (Xabi) Alonso, he was willing to work unbelievable.
“He had a very high work-rate and he mostly ran the most kilometres of all the players on the pitch. He’d be perfect for Liverpool.”