Liverpool Relying on Bayer Leverkusen Prodigy Wirtz to Elevate Their Game

The shining star of German football is poised to become the new jewel of the Premier League as Florian Wirtz gears up to join Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for a record-breaking fee.

Hot on the heels of clinching their 20th English top-tier title, Arne Slot’s side has splashed the cash to acquire a talent already hailed as one of the finest in the world by former Reds midfielder and Wirtz’s previous coach, Xabi Alonso.

Reports from British media on Friday indicated that the Premier League champions have struck a club-record agreement amounting to £116 million to bring the attacking midfielder to Anfield.

Liverpool can now negotiate personal terms with a player coveted by several elite European clubs.

Wirtz’s immense potential as a youth player ignited a dispute between his hometown club Cologne and Leverkusen five years back, when the latter, powered by the financial backing of pharmaceutical giants Bayer, secured his signature at just 17.

Cologne contended that a gentleman’s agreement not to lure youth players away was breached; however, Leverkusen maintained that Wirtz was intended for the first team, and he made his Bundesliga debut within months.

His ascent was momentarily halted by a cruciate knee ligament injury in March 2022, sidelining him for ten months.

Upon his return, Alonso had taken charge at Leverkusen, and together they would lead the club into its most glorious era.

Leverkusen sensationally ended Bayern Munich’s dominance of the Bundesliga by clinching both the league title and the German Cup without suffering a single defeat throughout the 2023/24 season.

Wirtz achieved his first career hat-trick on the day the title was confirmed against Werder Bremen, earning him the accolade of Bundesliga player of the year.

“Flo is truly one of the top players in the world; he’s world-class,” Alonso remarked, likening his prodigy to Lionel Messi in terms of his understanding of the game.

“What makes Messi exceptional? It’s his ability to know how and when to play simple passes. Messi says: ‘You’re in a better position? Here, you have the ball’,” stated Alonso, a hero of Liverpool’s 2005 Champions League triumph.

“It’s not solely about executing the most brilliant move but rather the best and smartest. Florian excels at that, which is why he’s so impressive.”

‘The Complete Package’

Both the star player and his coach intended to remain with the Leverkusen project for an additional year, however, their loss in the Europa League final to Atalanta brought the 2023/24 campaign to a disheartening close.

Bayern regained their hold on German football last season but failed to persuade Wirtz to join the ranks of others migrating from Bundesliga rivals.

Instead, he made his preference for a transfer to the Premier League champions clear, eager to add his name to the pantheon of Liverpool legends.

“A tremendous talent with a brilliant future ahead of him, Liverpool is the perfect fit,” declared the club’s former captain, Steven Gerrard.

Despite amassing 57 goals and 65 assists across 197 appearances for Leverkusen, Wirtz will commence his Anfield journey in the shadow of Mohamed Salah.

However, the Reds are betting on Wirtz’s creativity to help sustain the 32-year-old’s impressive goal tally and alleviate some of the pressure on Liverpool’s attacking line.

The previous record signing, Darwin Nunez, who cost £85 million, has struggled to make an impact and could be sold off to help recoup part of their significant investment in new arrivals.

Liverpool will be counting on Wirtz to cope with the expectations tied to his price and the robust nature of the Premier League to avoid any second-season slump under Slot.

Former Germany national coach Hansi Flick is unequivocal about the midfielder’s abilities.

“He’s an exceptional technician, loves the game, is incredibly creative, possesses a great shot, works hard, and has impressive speed,” he said.

“He’s the complete package.”