<a href="https://www.archysport.com/2022/01/bayer-leverkusen-wins-at-borussia-monchengladbach/" title="Bayer Leverkusen wins at Borussia Monchengladbach”>Florian Wirtz already made himself immortal at Bayer Leverkusen last season. As an offensive free spirit, he was not only instrumental in winning the club’s first German championship, but also blossomed into an absolute superstar of German football. And that at just 21 years old.
Perhaps the entries in the history books of the sport would not have been possible if Wirtz had taken a different path years ago – not just from his youth club 1. FC Köln to the other side of the Rhine, but after a season at Bayer straight on to the record champions from Munich. According to the national team’s record player, Lothar Matthäus, this would have been entirely possible – but his former club decided differently.
Wirtz’s market value is 130 million euros
The former Bayern professional revealed on the talk show “Sky90” a conflict between former Bayern coach Hansi Flick and the then sports director Hasan Salihamidžić over Wirtz’s personnel. Matthäus explained: “I have known Hansi for 40 years. Why did the argument with Hasan happen? Because he wanted players who had already made really good developments at the age of 17. I think of Florian Wirtz, that was a dispute between Hansi and Bayern Munich.”
According to Matthäus, the record champions could have signed Wirtz, but decided against it. “Wirtz would have been available, but Bayern didn’t want him. Hasan apparently didn’t want him, that’s how it came across in conversations at the time,” explained the TV expert and 1990 world champion.
If Matthäus is correct in his portrayal, FC Bayern has missed out on one of its most valuable talents. Wirtz (21) now has a market value of 130 million euros. Leverkusen brought the highly talented player out of 1. FC Köln’s U17 team in January 2020 and paid training compensation of 200,000 euros.
Salihamidžić: “This is complete nonsense”
However, Salihamidžić denied on Monday afternoon that there had been a conversation between him and Flick about Wirtz. “There was never this argument that Lothar Matthäus is talking about,” he told “Bild”. “I also never spoke to Hansi Flick about a transfer of Florian Wirtz. This is complete nonsense. Lothar, in his role as an expert, should check his sources better before he spreads such baseless rumors and not constantly spread lies about me and FC Bayern.”
It is true that the club has followed Wirtz’s development since his youth. “Our entire scouting department as well as the club were amazed by his talent and abilities,” said Salihamidžić. “After several attempts, we had to accept that Florian wanted to develop in his family environment and complete his schooling in his home country. We respected that.”
Matthäus also commented on the matter again the day after the broadcast: “I know for sure that Hansi wanted to bring the young Florian Wirtz to Bayern at the age of 17 and the club did not fulfill this wish,” he told “Bild “. “My statements were not directed against Hasan either. What I wanted to say was that Hansi always keeps an eye on young players and prefers to work with them. He’s currently proving that again at FC Barcelona.”
