
Anfield Index
·31 maggio 2025
Report: Wirtz chooses Liverpool over Bayern after Slot makes key promise

Anfield Index
·31 maggio 2025
Liverpool’s interest in Florian Wirtz has gone from speculative flirtation to concrete ambition, and now it appears to have paid off. According to Christian Falk in his latest Fact Files column, the 22-year-old German star has chosen to join Liverpool over Bayern Munich, despite a late push from the Bundesliga giants.
For many players, prestige and familiarity often draw them back to domestic giants like Bayern. But Wirtz, one of European football’s most dazzling playmakers, has made a choice rooted in tactical promise rather than legacy.
It wasn’t money, trophies or even location that swayed Wirtz. Instead, it was the clarity and conviction of Arne Slot’s vision. According to Falk, “the decisive factor” was Slot offering Wirtz “ownership of the number 10 role”. That specific assurance not only made Wirtz feel valued, it gave him purpose. Bayern, for all their resources, couldn’t match that. With Jamal Musiala already occupying that creative berth in Vincent Kompany’s system, Wirtz would’ve entered into a battle for minutes rather than a tailored role.
Slot’s intervention, then, looks less like a managerial sales pitch and more like a carefully placed chess move. Liverpool didn’t just offer a contract – they offered identity, continuity and belief. And that mattered.
While Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones have performed well in rotation, Wirtz’s numbers mark him as a cut above. His 10 goals and 12 assists in the Bundesliga dwarf the combined nine goals and assists from both Liverpool midfielders last season.
Photo: IMAGO
For a team like Liverpool – one still searching for ways to unlock deeper blocks and increase chance quality in tight games – Wirtz could be transformative.
Wirtz, currently with the national team, has reportedly informed both Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich of his intent. As Falk reported, Bayern “held a secret meeting” with the player before he left, hoping to change his mind. But after five days of reflection, Wirtz stuck to his conviction.
His decision suggests that Liverpool, and Arne Slot in particular, are selling more than a club. They’re selling a strategy. One that involves a talented young German as its creative centrepiece.
Florian Wirtz choosing Liverpool over Bayern feels like a statement moment for this new Arne Slot era. Not just because the club is willing to spend over £100 million on a player, but because the player believes in what’s being built at Anfield.
There’s also something psychologically significant here. Bayern don’t usually lose out on German talent. For Wirtz to reject their project – and Kompany, who is very much admired – says Liverpool now carry a different kind of pull. One based on tactical clarity, not just history.
Fans will rightly be excited. This isn’t just another marquee signing. It’s potentially the player that defines the Slot project. The sooner it’s done, the sooner we can dream.