Florian Wirtz
Liverpool’s acquisition of Germany international Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a staggering £116 million has been met with excitement and speculation. While the club’s number seven shirt is iconic, the absence of the number 10 jersey for Wirtz has become a talking point, particularly in Germany.
Florian Wirtz said: “Who says I want the [ten emoji] I respect players. Don’t believe everything what’s written [clown emoji].”
Alexis Mac Allister said: “I know there’s been some rumours about Flo wanting the number 10. But I want to tell you all the truth. Flo! This is the number 10 you wanted, right? Google Pixel 10.”
The playful exchange between Wirtz and Mac Allister, featured in an advertisement for the Google Pixel 10 phone, humorously addressed the rumors. However, the issue resurfaced when Bayern Munich’s honorary president, Uli Hoeness, alleged that Liverpool manager Arne Slot broke a promise to Wirtz regarding the number 10 shirt, which reportedly influenced his decision to join Liverpool over Bayern.
Uli Hoeness said: “Slot promised Wirtz something that he’s now clearly not keeping. Building the new team around him with the number 10 shirt. That was rubbish. He got the number seven shirt and the new team is clearly not playing around Florian Wirtz.”
Max Eberl said: “We made it clear in all our discussions that we would have loved to have him at FC Bayern and that he would have been a great fit for us. Florian then chose Liverpool. I wish him all the best in representing German football in the Premier League.”
Despite Bayern’s assertions, Liverpool’s manager Arne Slot praised Wirtz’s performance following their recent victory over Brighton & Hove Albion, emphasizing the player’s continuous improvement and contribution to the team.
Arne Slot said: “I think he is also one of the players I mean when I say he is getting better and better. He was already very good when we signed him but he’s getting better and better. He’s getting stronger and stronger, running people off the ball, all the hard work the players have put in in the last few months is paying off more and more if you look at individual performances.”
The ongoing debate over the number 10 jersey highlights the competitive nature of football transfers and the significance of squad numbers in player negotiations. Bayern Munich’s disappointment in missing out on Wirtz is palpable, but his performances for Liverpool suggest that the German international is thriving in the Premier League, further justifying his decision to move to Merseyside.
About The Author
