“There he has great team-mates”: Florian Wirtz is urged to join a spectacular new club
Former DFB chief Oliver Bierhoff can well imagine a spectacular move for Florian Wirtz from Liverpool FC.
"I can actually see him at several clubs," said Bierhoff, who held various executive roles with the Germany team from 2004 to 2022, on the Bild programme "Die Lage der Liga" about Wirtz's future.
"I can also see him being successful in other countries. I could see him fitting in well, for example, with Hansi Flick at Barcelona. He has space there, he has great footballing team-mates there," Bierhoff said, linking Wirtz with a possible future move to Barca.
Bierhoff rates the Germany playmaker as "an absolutely world-class player who now has to prove that once again. Also on the pitch with his performances," in his assessment of Wirtz's situation since his €125 million move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool last year.
How is Florian Wirtz getting on at Liverpool?
During his first season at Anfield, the midfielder has yet to live up to the huge expectations that came with him, and Wirtz has repeatedly faced harsh criticism in the English media. Even so, he has largely remained a regular since arriving at Liverpool, more clearly under new coach Andoni Iraola than under his predecessor Arne Slot. Wirtz has started every Premier League and Champions League match for the Reds so far this season, registering one assist.
Those comments about Barca are, of course, pure speculation despite the link to Flick, under whom Wirtz once played for the national team. The Catalans are said to have courted Wirtz a few years ago, but just before his move in 2025 they were not among the main contenders. Instead, Real Madrid, Manchester City and above all Bayern Munich were circling the gifted technician, who ultimately chose Liverpool.
Are there currently any concrete signs of a Wirtz transfer?
Wirtz's contract with the English giants still runs until 2030, and despite the occasional difficulties there are currently no concrete signs at all of an early exit. As for any renewed interest from Bayern, former Bayern boss Karl-Heinz Rummenigge does not believe they could become an issue again any time soon and recently told the Abendzeitung München with regard to Wirtz only: "Whether something else might still be possible at some point? I don't know."
For Germany, Wirtz most recently impressed with two strong displays against Serbia (2-0) and in Greece (0-0), stepping in for the absent regular captain Joshua Kimmich. Against Greece, the 23-year-old led Germany out as Kimmich's deputy, while three days earlier against Serbia Wirtz took the captain's armband from Serge Gnabry for the second half.
