Told Florian Wirtz One Thing Before Liverpool Transfer - 'Don’t Do This to Us'

Liverpool's blockbuster signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen may owe much to a heartfelt plea from his former teammate, Robert Andrich. In a recent revelation on the Spielmacher podcast by 360Media (via Bild), Andrich disclosed how he begged the 22-year-old German star not to join Bayern Munich last summer, urging him instead toward a move abroad—ultimately to Anfield[1][3][5].

Andrich, a lifelong Bayern fan, confessed his professional loyalty to Leverkusen overrode personal allegiance. "I said to him, ‘Please don’t do it! Don’t do this to us.’ I wanted it (the move abroad) and I told the Bayern boys that too. I’m happy for him that he took the step. I wouldn’t have thought that he would dare to take the step abroad so soon," he recounted[1][3]. This intervention reportedly swayed Wirtz away from Vincent Kompany's Bayern, despite their strong pursuit and groundwork laid over months[1][3].

Wirtz faced interest from elite clubs including Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern, but Liverpool's €125 million deal—worth up to £116 million—prevailed after pivotal talks. Arne Slot's vision convinced him from the first meeting, prioritizing sporting ambition over finances, as Wirtz told Kicker in August[2][3]. Bayern were stunned, viewing it as a major blow to their plans[3].

At Liverpool, Wirtz wears the No. 7 jersey and has overcome a slow start—23 games for his first goal under Slot—to net three in his last five outings. Anfield chiefs, per David Lynch, retained faith amid external criticism[1]. However, challenges persist: he's not consistently receiving the ball in central No. 10 areas as anticipated, limiting progressive carries and take-ons compared to Leverkusen days. Critics note he's often stuck with one-touch passes in midfield or wide-left against packed defenses, prompting calls to tailor the system around his world-class talent[4].

Liverpool fans can thank Andrich's plea if it tipped the scales—Wirtz chose the Premier League challenge over Bundesliga dominance, embracing the reigning champions' demands[1][2].

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