There may have been a moment when Arne Slot felt he had to choose: Florian Wirtz or Rayan Cherki?
If so, it’s clear the Liverpool head coach opted for the former. Given, at 22, he has been voted Bundesliga Player of the Season for two years in a row, has established himself as Germany’s star name and spearheaded Bayer Leverkusen ’s 2023/24 title win, it’s no surprise Slot plumped for Wirtz.
Many see him as a generational talent. Devin Ozek, Leverkusen’s former executive CEO assistant, claimed Wirtz is one of the best signings in Bundesliga history. In the last two seasons he has registered 69 goal involvements at club level, and has also shown his quality on the international scene.
That was evident last week in the Nations League as he played 180 minutes across two games for Germany, scoring in the defeat against Portugal. It comes on the back of a Nations League qualifying campaign in which Wirtz provided six goal involvements from five starts.
But the finals ultimately proved to be disappointing, with defeats in both outings. Against France, in Sunday’s third-place play-off, Cherki’s cheeky nutmeg on Liverpool’s incoming signing will have drawn a few smiles at Manchester City, where it seems the Lyon star is now destined.
It was a moment of skill that caused ruptures on social media, with Cherki “destroying” Wirtz, as one X user put it.
Florian Wirtz of Germany
Florian Wirtz played every minute for Germany during June's fixtures (Image: Maja Hitij/UEFA via Getty Images)
In reality, that’s far from the case. One skilful action won’t end any debate over which star name the Reds should have pursued.
Reports indicated that Slot met Cherki earlier this summer to discuss a possible transfer, even briefly leaving his holiday, such was the urgency of the appointment. But he ultimately opted against the deal, feeling Wirtz provided a higher-quality option.
Given that Liverpool’s arrival is expected to cost four to five times more than City’s, that perhaps underlines the contrast in the duo's standards.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - MAY 25: Arne Slot, Manger of Liverpool, looks on prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Crystal Palace FC at Anfield on May 25, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Arne Slot was faced with the decision: Cherki or Wirtz? (Image: Getty Images)
That’s not to downplay Cherki’s quality. He enjoyed an encouraging international break, netting a sublime strike against Spain and again impressing in the win over Germany in his first international start.
The 21-year-old has been likened to Eden Hazard in recent days, while Liverpool’s reported transfer interest certainly intrigued fans earlier this year.
But Wirtz is seen as a player who is redefining the no.10 role, who provides the sort of tactical nuances, positional variation and game-changing impacts that will justify a British record transfer bid.