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Liverpool fended off Bayern Munich to reach a £116m agreement to sign Florian Wirtz.

(Image: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl has hit back at his own player, Joshua Kimmich, over comments he made about Florian Wirtz's impending transfer to Liverpool.

The 22-year-old made his preference of the English champions over the German heavyweights clear - paving the way for a £116m agreement.

Wirtz is therefore on track to finalise a move from Bayer Leverkusen to Liverpool as the summer transfer window reopens in what is a huge statement for the Premier League title holders.

Over at Bayern, they been left to soak in their frustration before devising a new strategy without Germany's next big star as their showpiece.

Bayern captain Kimmich became the first player from the club to speak out when he aired the belief that his side are in desperate need of attacking reinforcements.

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"You'll have to ask the club what their plans are," said Kimmich.

"Of course, you have feeling that we could do something - with Flo [Wirtz] not coming, with Leroy [Sane] leaving, with Thomas [Muller] leaving.

"I was surprised that he [Sane] is going to Turkey, as I didn't expect that.

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"But it's his decision and he'll have his reasons for it."

His side somewhat proved that statement wrong by winning 10-0 in their opening FIFA Club World Cup match, albeit against New Zealand's Auckland City, who Opta rank 5,074th of all football teams globally.

But most surprising was the response of Kimmich's own sporting director after that fixture, in which he directly countered the midfielder.

"Jo is on the pitch - and I'm taking care of the stuff off the pitch," Eberl said bluntly to reporters post-match.

Their chances reduced last month once Wirtz and his family had spoken with Arne Slot and Anfield chiefs and, by May 23, he had informed Bayern - who beforehand had been confident - that he would be declining their interest.

This was even after it came to light that Bayern attempted a last-ditch 'secret' meeting, masked from the media's view by being held on the same day as their Bundesliga title celebrations in a hotel across town - with key figures including manager Vincent Kompany said to be in attendance.

Manchester City and Real Madrid suffered the same defeat - at the hands of the Reds.

A £100m framework had been put in place early on in negotiations, leaving Liverpool and Leverkusen to hash out the exact amount and make-up of the add-ons included in the deal.

With initial proposals rejected, they eventually came to the accord of an additional £16m - made up of achievable bonuses and those that will be more difficult to attain.

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All that's left for do is for Wirtz to return from his current holiday, travel to Merseyside and complete the last part of the process to become a Liverpool player.

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