When Florian Wirtz was 18, he was interviewed by Bayer Leverkusen’s club magazine. The headline was a quote from the teenager: “I have big dreams”. If he leaves, as looks likely, it will be after making Leverkusen’s biggest come true and yet while showing he didn’t share the dream of many a star at Germany’s other clubs. From Lothar Matthaus to Leon Goretzka and Leroy Sane, they gravitated to Bayern, given their guarantee of trophies. The Bavarian dominance in the 21st century has been aided by an ability to raid the rest of Germany for their prized assets. Michael Ballack, taken from Leverkusen, was a pioneer. Jonathan Tah, going from Leverkusen this summer, follows in his footsteps, just as Dortmund were plundered when they represented Bayern’s major rivals.
Not Wirtz, though. A player who can weave his way past defenders is plotting a different path: to Liverpool. It is a dream with a big price, Liverpool’s second bid amounting to €109m (£92m), Leverkusen still wanting more. It shows a certain ambition and audacity at Anfield: to target and tempt Wirtz. Logic suggested Wirtz would be paired with Jamal Musiala at Bayern, Germany’s two generational talents together for club and country. Yet, Tah’s decision notwithstanding, this Leverkusen have displayed a capacity to frustrate Bayern. Their maiden Bundesliga title ended the Bavarians’ run at 11 in a row. Xabi Alonso rejected Bayern’s advances to stay another year, Real Madrid instead his preferred destination. Now Wirtz is set to become Liverpool’s new Jurgen Klopp: a man Bayern had wanted but never got.
