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Florian Wirtz has been linked with a move to Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)

Convincing one of Europe's elite players to join you is never going to be an easy task, regardless of your stature.

Yet Liverpool could have a very cheeky ace up their sleeve when trying to entice Florian Wirtz to Anfield this summer.

Fans' heads were turned and pulses were sent racing with the news that Arne Slot has pivoted his attentions toward the classy Bayer Leverkusen playmaker.

At just 22 years old, Wirtz is regarded as one of the finest attacking talents on the continent, with a value north of £120million.

While the newly crowned Premier League champions believe they can land such a player, they are naturally expected to face stern competition for his signature.

However, while Manchester City and Bayern Munich are also well in the hunt for the German star, Liverpool can offer one small sweetener to haul any deal over the line: Wirtz's old Leverkusen shirt number, 27.

Rumoured Liverpool target Florian Wirtz wore the number 27 for four years at Bayer Leverkusen(Image: Oliver Kaelke/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Thanks to Darwin Nunez, who elected to jump from the 27 to nine a year after joining Liverpool, the jersey now has a vacancy, and it's thought the number could hold some significance for Wirtz.

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A year after breaking into Leverkusen's first team, Wirtz made the switch from wearing the number 23 to 27.

He made the number his own for four seasons before eventually becoming the German outfit's number 10.

While Liverpool can't offer him the coveted number 10, with Alexis Mac Allister more than cementing himself in the iconic shirt, Liverpool can offer a hearty cup of nostalgia to Wirtz in the form of the shirt number on which he forged his reputation.

Darwin Nunez chose to move from 27 to number nine for the 2022/2023 season(Image: Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Of course, any talk of Wirtz picking shirt numbers at the Reds is premature.

Yet it's been reported that Liverpool are primed to go toe-to-toe with both City and Bayern, with Anfield chiefs reaching out to Wirtz’s representatives to inform them they are real contenders for the midfielder's next club.

If Liverpool can offer the squad number incentive then surely City and Munich can too?

Well, as it stands, Matheus Nunes and Jack Grealish take up 27 and 10 respectively at City.

Full-back Konrad Laimer and Leroy Sane hold the numbers in Bavaria, meaning Wirtz's old iconic number is there for the taking at Liverpool.

Florian Wirtz now holds the number ten at Bayer(Image: Alexander Scheuber/Bundesliga/Bundesliga Collection via Getty Images)

While a player of Wirtz calibre has no doubt lit the flames of excitement amongst fans, expectations should be tempered.

According to the national media, Wirtz was in the UK for a tour of City’s facilities with his parents this week before flying back to his homeland.

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But the ECHO understands Liverpool also made known their interest in the 22-year-old and even met his parents, Karin and father and agent, Hans.
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