Florian Wirtz is no stranger to being a coveted talent. While many young players might be overwhelmed by the attention from Europe`s top clubs, it`s hard to imagine Wirtz losing his focus.
Raised in Pulheim, near Cologne, Wirtz grew up in a hotbed of German football, surrounded by clubs like Borussia Dortmund, Schalke, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Fortuna Düsseldorf, and Bayer Leverkusen. All were aware of the exceptional talent developing in the region`s suburbs, but they would have to wait.
Wirtz`s family was dedicated to nurturing his footballing path, as well as that of his sister Juliane, who plays for Werder Bremen. His father, Hans, remains the chairman of Grun-Weiss Brauweiler, Wirtz`s childhood club. Football was central to his upbringing; he was rarely without a ball at his feet.
It`s unsurprising, then, that coaches found him easy to work with. Benedikt Hammans, his youth coach in Cologne, noted, “Florian knew better than me early on which decisions he should make in the game.” Wirtz broke into the Cologne U17 side at 15 and was a standout player when they won the National Championships in 2019.
In 14 games against older, bigger opponents, Wirtz contributed four goals and eight assists. His impressive form was highlighted in the semi-final second leg against Bayern Munich`s U17s. Even at that young age, he displayed the qualities that would make him a record-breaking target for clubs like Liverpool. He would block a long pass, immediately find space to receive the ball, take two touches to set himself, and then spray a pinpoint 50-yard pass behind the defense for a teammate to score. Minutes later, he positioned himself on the edge of a counter-attack to slot home his side`s fourth goal. This knack for directly influencing the scoreline has remained a key part of his game.
Already, European giants like Juventus and Arsenal were tracking his progress, as were Liverpool. Closer to home, Bayer Leverkusen`s sporting director, Simon Rolfes, who returned to the club in 2018, was determined to secure Wirtz. Seeing his technical skill and tenacity, Rolfes questioned why Wirtz wasn`t already part of Leverkusen`s academy.
The reason was a long-standing agreement between Cologne, Leverkusen, and Mönchengladbach not to poach each other`s academy players, aiming for stability beneficial to both the clubs and the players. Leverkusen found an elegant, though controversial, solution in early 2020. Just months after leading Cologne to the youth title, Wirtz signed for Leverkusen as a first-team player.
The European clubs interested had little chance. Not only would he join the club his sister played for, but his parents also reasoned that joining Leverkusen would allow him to complete his school studies. Wirtz later said he had the final say, but his parents remain crucial advisors. When clubs made pitches this summer, they spoke directly to his father, Hans, while his mother, Karin, was involved in talks with Manchester City.
“The sporting perspective is much more important than money,” Wirtz told Sports Illustrated, reflecting on his parents` teachings. “My parents would be angry if I ever gave money priority.”
In his early career, education sometimes took precedence over football. Shortly after his move, Wirtz was left out of the Europa League squad for a match against Slavia Prague because he had an exam the next morning. While football was his passion, he never abandoned school, even bringing a teacher with him when first called up to the German national team in March 2021.
Wirtz`s Rise to Stardom at Leverkusen
The 11-mile move east offered a clear path to the first team, a welcome bonus that quickly materialized. In the summer of 2020, Chelsea signed Kai Havertz for $96 million, vacating the crucial number 10 role at Leverkusen. Instead of buying a replacement, Leverkusen looked internally. As Rolfes stated, “We could buy [a replacement], a waste of money, the kid is already better. At the end we didn`t have a chance to act in a different way. It would have been senseless.”
Without hesitation, Leverkusen entrusted the key attacking role to a teenager. Wirtz, however, didn`t see himself as the sole difference-maker. “I try not to focus on this idea that I am any sort of special player that makes the difference in a game,” he commented. “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.”
These chances came with remarkable consistency. Over the last four seasons in Europe`s top five leagues, Wirtz averaged 0.46 assists per 90 minutes, a rate surpassed only by elite creators like Kevin De Bruyne, Thomas Müller, Ousmane Dembélé, and Lionel Messi. By nearly every creative metric, Wirtz was among the world`s best before turning 22.
His development wasn`t uninterrupted. For 10 months, he was sidelined by an anterior cruciate ligament injury, which ruled him out of the 2022 World Cup. Such a traumatic injury could slow any player, especially an 18-year-old whose body is still maturing. Beyond the emotional blow of missing a major tournament, he watched Leverkusen struggle in his absence, though the arrival of Xabi Alonso offered future promise.
Those close to Wirtz say he detests being injured more than most. He used his time productively, focusing on improving aspects of his game. Just four months after returning, he declared himself a better player than before the injury. In his first full season back, the incredible 2023-24 campaign, his shot and goal output increased dramatically.
With Wirtz starring, “Neverkusen” shed its old nickname to become sports` most remarkable story. They achieved a stunning unbeaten domestic season, wrestling the Bundesliga title from Bayern Munich, who had seemed destined to reign eternally after signing Harry Kane. Wirtz`s penchant for crucial goals, combined with his elegant play and relentless work rate, cemented him as arguably the best player in Germany.
How Would He Fit at Liverpool?
He remained highly sought-after. The surprise was perhaps that only Bayern Munich and Manchester City reportedly joined Liverpool in the race. Former Germany coach Joachim Löw expected Wirtz to follow Alonso to Real Madrid, but Liverpool seems to be in pole position. This might allow them to negotiate down Leverkusen`s reported $170 million valuation, although any deal is expected to break the British transfer record of $144.6 million, set by Chelsea for Enzo Fernandez.
For that price, Liverpool would acquire arguably the most talented player on the market, opening vast tactical possibilities for Arne Slot. The most straightforward option is to simply use Wirtz in the number 10 role, where Dominik Szoboszlai played last season. Wirtz offers significantly higher goal contributions; Liverpool would swap a player contributing around six league goals/assists for one capable of double figures in both categories. While perhaps lighter and shorter, Wirtz is a fierce presser, leading the entire Bundesliga in possessions won in the attacking third during the title-winning season.
While a direct swap works, other acquisitions by Michael Edwards suggest alternative possibilities. The signings of Jeremie Frimpong (Wirtz`s former and potentially future teammate) and Milos Kerkez suggest new wing-back options. Last season, Liverpool`s fullbacks often played more conservatively than under Jürgen Klopp. This would likely change with players like Frimpong, who sometimes operated almost as a forward under Alonso, and Kerkez, who is also adept at pushing high.
Does this necessitate a more cautious midfield behind Wirtz, perhaps a defensive anchor and a shift back to a 4-3-3? This could also suit him, given his tendency to drift into wider areas recently. A key feature of Leverkusen`s play has been the synergy between left wing-back Alejandro Grimaldo and Wirtz, with Grimaldo having the freedom to move infield or wide, attacking the box or linking up for one-twos. Could a similar dynamic develop with Kerkez? Bournemouth typically utilized Kerkez`s running power over his technical skill, profiling him more like a younger Andrew Robertson – an energetic left-back focused on getting to the byline.
Even if Liverpool uses their left-back in that traditional role, it wouldn`t hinder Wirtz. Their recruitment appears geared towards moving wide attackers into more central areas. Having shifted wider right to accommodate Trent Alexander-Arnold, Mohamed Salah could move infield with Frimpong providing width. Slot could employ the same strategy with Wirtz.
For a significant fee, Liverpool would gain tactical flexibility, but more importantly, they would acquire the cornerstone of their future attack. Since Mohamed Salah signed his previous contract in 2022, the biggest question at Anfield has been his eventual successor. That question now has an answer. The crown passes to Wirtz, who, in his early twenties, has shown he is ready to wear the regalia.
Based on his career path so far, a high-profile move and the challenge of succeeding a club legend seem likely to bring out the very best in Florian Wirtz.