Florian Wirtz is no stranger to being highly sought after. While a summer bidding war among three major European clubs might overwhelm many young players, it seems unlikely to faze Wirtz.
Hailing from Pulheim, Wirtz matured in a region renowned for its footballing talent. Giants like Borussia Dortmund, Schalke, Borussia Monchengladbach, and Fortuna Dusseldorf lay to the north, while Bayer Leverkusen was to the east. All were aware of the promising talent emerging near Cologne, but they would need patience.
Wirtz was raised in a family prioritizing his development, and that of his sister Juliane (now at Werder Bremen). His father, Hans, still chairs Grun-Weiss Brauweiler, the local club central to Wirtz`s upbringing. He seemingly spent his childhood inseparable from a football.
It`s therefore unsurprising his coaches found managing him straightforward. Benedikt Hammans, his long-time youth coach in Cologne, remarked that `Florian knew better than me early on which decisions he should make in the game.` Joining the U17 team at 15, Wirtz shone as they secured the National Championships in 2019.
Across 14 matches against older, larger, and potentially stronger opponents, Wirtz notched four goals and eight assists. His exceptional play peaked in a dominant performance against Bayern Munich in the B-Junioren-Meisterschaft semifinal second leg. Even then, glimpses of the player Liverpool might shatter the British transfer record for were evident. After intercepting a long ball, the Cologne No. 10 expertly found space for a teammate`s return pass. With just two touches to set himself, he instantly launched a precise 50-yard pass over the Bayern defence, perfectly weighted for Jan Thielmann to round the goalkeeper and score. Just three minutes later, he was involved in a counter-attack, positioned to clinically finish his team`s fourth goal. This knack for significantly influencing the scoreline would become a hallmark of Wirtz`s game.
His abilities were already attracting attention from major European clubs like Juventus and Arsenal, with Liverpool also closely monitoring his progress. Locally, Simon Rolfes, having returned to Bayer Leverkusen (his long-time club) as sporting director in 2018, was keen to gain an edge over these foreign suitors. He started his directorship by asking the academy staff a straightforward question: Given Wirtz possessed all the attributes he desired at the Bay Arena – from technical skill to determination – why wasn`t he already a Leverkusen player?
The reason was simple: Cologne, Leverkusen, and Borussia Monchengladbach had a long-standing agreement against poaching youth academy players from one another, believing stability was beneficial for both the region and the youngsters` development. Leverkusen`s move in early 2020 was clever but controversial. Just months after helping Cologne win the youth championship, Wirtz was signed by Leverkusen, but crucially, as a first-team player.
The European powerhouses vying for him stood little chance. Beyond the appeal of joining his sister`s club, his parents felt that moving to Leverkusen would allow Wirtz to complete his schooling – although he later claimed the final decision was his. Five years on, Wirtz holds the decisive vote, yet his parents remain key advisors. This summer, clubs making offers likely approached his father Hans directly; his mother Karin also participated in discussions, including those with Manchester City.
`The sporting perspective is much more important than money,` Wirtz told Sports Illustrated recently, reflecting on lessons from his parents. `My parents would be angry if I ever gave money priority.`
In his early career, education even seemed to outweigh the sporting view at times. Months after joining, Wirtz was omitted from the Europa League squad against Slavia Prague because he had an exam the following morning. While, like many teenagers, he was captivated by football, he remained committed to school, even taking a teacher along for his first Germany national team call-up in March 2021.
Wirtz`s Ascendancy at Leverkusen
The short move east also offered a distinct path to the first team, which quickly materialized. When Kai Havertz signed for Chelsea for $96 million in the summer of 2020, leaving the No. 10 role vacant, Leverkusen needed a new creative focal point. Their solution didn`t involve spending. As Rolfes later told CBS Sports, “We could buy [a replacement], a waste of money, the kid is already better.” He added, “At the end we didn`t have a chance to act in a different way. It would have been senseless.”
With widespread agreement throughout the club, Leverkusen entrusted the key creative role to a teenager. Wirtz himself, however, downplayed the idea of being the central figure. `I try not to focus on this idea that I am any sort of special player that makes the difference in a game,` he stated to CBS Sports in 2023. `I just want to create opportunities to score, make goals happen. I don`t really care who gets the goals, it`s really about winning the games and I just want to create dangerous chances for us.`
Such opportunities materialized frequently. Over the last four seasons in Europe`s top five leagues, Wirtz averaged 0.46 assists per 90 minutes, a figure surpassed only by Kevin De Bruyne, Thomas Muller, Ousmane Dembele, and Lionel Messi. By virtually any measure of creative output, Wirtz ranked among the global elite before turning 22.
However, his trajectory wasn`t purely linear. The young playmaker spent 10 months sidelined by an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which also cost him a spot at the 2022 World Cup. For any player, especially an 18-year-old still developing physically, adapting to such a severe injury could easily hinder progress. Besides the emotional blow of missing his likely first major tournament, he also witnessed Leverkusen struggle in his absence, although Xabi Alonso`s arrival as manager replacing Gerardo Seoane hinted at brighter prospects.
Those close to Wirtz note his particular aversion to injuries. He utilized his recovery time effectively, focusing on improving areas of his game less prominent in his initial Bundesliga season. Within just four months of returning, he declared himself a superior player to the one pre-injury. By his first complete season back, the 2023-24 campaign – which exceeded all expectations at Bayer Leverkusen – his metrics for shots and goals saw a significant boost.
With Wirtz at the heart of their success, `Neverkusen` transformed into one of sport`s most astonishing narratives. They achieved a remarkable unbeaten domestic season, seizing the Bundesliga title from Bayern Munich, who had appeared set for eternal dominance after signing Harry Kane. Wirtz, with his knack for crucial goals and a captivating mix of grace and tireless effort, was clearly the standout player in Germany.
How Wirtz Could Fit at Liverpool
The 2024-25 season might have followed a similar pattern, though Leverkusen`s signature late winners became scarce, and the injuries they evaded the previous season returned to bite. Wirtz himself suffered an ankle injury, curtailing his Bundesliga and Champions League participation which had already appeared difficult. Despite increased demands and Alonso employing a noticeably more cautious system than in their title-winning year, Wirtz still registered 20 league goal contributions, attempting more shots and providing more assists.
It`s unsurprising that elite clubs desired him. Perhaps the only surprise was that only Bayern Munich and Manchester City reportedly joined Liverpool in the pursuit. Joachim Löw echoed many sentiments when he told Bild that week he anticipated Wirtz following Alonso to Real Madrid. However, it appears the English club (Liverpool) find themselves potentially in a strong position. This might allow them to negotiate Leverkusen`s reported $170 million valuation, as disclosed by CBS Sports recently. Regardless of the final fee, it`s expected to exceed the current British transfer record of $144.6 million, set by Chelsea for Enzo Fernandez in January 2023.
At that potential cost, they would likely acquire the market`s most gifted player, whose signing unlocks vast tactical potential for Arne Slot. The simplest integration would involve placing Wirtz directly into the attacking midfield position played by Dominik Szoboszlai last season. Wirtz unquestionably provides greater goal threat; Liverpool would be replacing a player with six league goals and assists with one realistically capable of double digits in both categories. Although potentially lighter and shorter, Wirtz is a pressing dynamo. During their championship season, no player in the Bundesliga recovered possession in the attacking third more often than Leverkusen`s No. 10.
While that simple swap is effective, Michael Edwards` other transfer activities suggest further tactical possibilities. The signing of Jeremie Frimpong (a former and potentially future teammate of Wirtz) followed by Milos Kerkez provides Slot with dynamic options at wing-back on both sides. Last season, Liverpool`s fullbacks played deeper than under Jurgen Klopp, a posture likely to change with players like Frimpong, who often operated almost as an auxiliary forward under Alonso, and Kerkez, who is also adept at attacking runs.
Would this require a more defensive midfield unit behind Wirtz, possibly with a dedicated anchor and a formation change to a 4-3-3? This could also suit Wirtz, given his tendency to drift into wider zones recently. A highlight of Leverkusen`s play has been the link-up between Alejandro Grimaldo and Wirtz, allowing the left wing-back positional freedom to move centrally or wide, attack the penalty area, or combine for one-twos. Could a similar dynamic emerge with Kerkez? Bournemouth has typically utilized the Hungarian international`s athleticism and running rather than his technical flair; he resembles a younger Andrew Robertson, a tireless presence on the left whose primary strength is reaching the byline.
Should Liverpool opt to use their left-back this way, it wouldn`t hinder Wirtz. In fact, their recruitment strategy appears designed to allow wide attackers to move into more central areas. Mohamed Salah, who has drifted wider right to accommodate Trent Alexander-Arnold, could potentially operate more centrally with Frimpong providing width outside him. Slot could implement a similar approach with Wirtz on the left or right.
For a significant fee, Liverpool secures not just tactical flexibility but, more importantly, a central figure for their future attack. Since Mohamed Salah signed his previous contract in the summer of 2022, a key question at Anfield has been about succession once the `Egyptian King`s` reign concludes. That question now has an answer. The mantle appears ready to pass to Wirtz, who has demonstrated in his early twenties that he is well-suited to bearing such responsibility.
Based on his career trajectory, a high-profile transfer and the challenge of stepping into the shoes of a club legend should only serve to further elevate Wirtz`s performance.
