Wirtz's Set the Record Straight on Contract Talks with Liverpool
Commission hasn't received any response from the commission yet.
In a surprising Instagram post, young German football sensation Florian Wirtz debunked rumors about his alleged desire for the number 10 jersey at Liverpool. "Who says I want the number 10?" Wirtz, decked out in Bayer Leverkusen's number 10, wrote with a cheeky wink. "Respect the players," he added, followed by a clown face emoji.
Initially, Sky News reported that during negotiations, Wirtz expressed interest in donning the number 10—currently worn by Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister. But according to Wirtz's post, these reports might have been exaggerated or misconstrued.
Liverpool's Rich History of Number 10
Since his arrival in the summer of 2023, Wirtz, now 22, has worn the number 10 for Bayer Leverkusen. In the premier league, tenacious players like club legends Michael Owen and Sadio Mané have sported the number 10 before Mac Allister.
Despite the almighty number 10, talks between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen have yet to lead to a deal. According to "Kicker" report, Bayer Leverkusen rejected the second offer, which reportedly included a fixed sum of 118 million euros plus 12 million euros in bonus payments. Initially, Liverpool offered 100 million euros plus 15 million euros in additional payments.
The Bayer brass, still contracted with Wirtz until June 30, 2027, is reportedly aiming for more than the 150 million euros that general manager Fernando Carro once publicly announced as the minimum amount[1][2].
In tonight's semi-finals of the Nations League in Munich, Wirtz will suit up for the German team in jersey number 17, maintaining his disdain for the number 10 in international play.
Footnotes:
- Liverpool optimistic about reaching agreement with Bayer Leverkusen for Wirtz
- Wirtz pursuing move to Liverpool, according to Rudi Voller
In contrast to the initial reports from Sky News, Florian Wirtz's recent Instagram post suggests that the negotiations between his current club, Bayer Leverkusen, and Liverpool might have been misconstrued, with Wirtz not openly expressing a desire for the number 10 jersey at Liverpool. Despite Wirtz's success wearing the number 10 in the European leagues, particularly for Bayer Leverkusen, his performances in international play see him opting for a different jersey number, as evident in tonight's semi-finals of the Nations League in Munich where he will wear number 17.
