Florian Wirtz is on course to join Liverpool this summer, with the Reds beating some big clubs in the process.

Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid were all linked with the Bayer Leverkusen superstar at various stages leading up to the summer transfer window, yet it’s Liverpool who have won the race for Wirtz in a deal that could cost the Reds a club-record fee.

With Bayern interested in signing Cody Gakpo as a potential alternative for Wirtz, it’s clear that the Bundesliga giants had an expectation that they were going to land the Germany international before Liverpool’s surge to bring the attacking midfielder to Anfield.

And club legend Lothar Matthaus has now shared his pain at Liverpool beating Bayern to Wirtz’s signature.

Bayern Munich turn to Premier League star after losing ground on Florian Wirtz	Bayern Munich chief dispels Florian Wirtz narrative to land Liverpool transfer blow	Bayern Munich are 'targeting £68m Premier League star as Florian Wirtz alternative' after reports Liverpool lead race for £126m attacking midfielder

READ MORE: How much Liverpool have really offered Bayer Leverkusen to sign Florian Wirtz

Photo by Pau Barrena/Getty Images

Speaking to Bild, Matthaus shared how Bayern missing out on Wirtz will feel like a transfer failure for the German giants, especially when it looked like, at one stage, that the Leverkusen talisman was heading to Bavaria ahead of Liverpool.

Matthaus said when asked about how painful a loss missing out on Wirtz to Liverpool is this summer for Bayern: “This is a defeat for Bayern and for Uli Hoeness personally, certainly the most painful in the transfer market in recent memory.

“He had repeatedly said that Wirtz was their absolute dream player, and that Bayern would pull out all the stops to get him.

Uli had said they would do anything to get him, but the decision also shows, for Wirtz, that Bayern is simply not the number one [destination].

MORE LIVERPOOL STORIES

“The Premier League, with its quality up front and across the board, is the best league in the world, with great intensity and pace, and Liverpool doesn’t yet have that kind of game-changing player in his position.”

Although Matthaus is angry with how Bayern went about trying to sign Wirtz, Liverpool landing the 22-year-old still hasn’t stopped the Germany legend from sharing his excitement about the youngster joining the English champions this summer.

Matthaus said when asked about how he thinks Wirtz will do in the Premier League with Liverpool: “Personally, I thought Florian would want to stay in Germany for the next few years.

“It’s not just a new club, it’s a new mentality, a new language, but this step also shows that he’s not afraid.

I have absolute confidence in him that he’ll make it at Liverpool and in the Premier League.


For more news relating to Manchester City, visit our sister site City Latest Live.