Liverpool’s Bold Gamble: Wirtz Deal Breaks The Mold

Signs that Liverpool had broken from its strategy of the past decade have been coming.

First, Darwin Nunez was acquired for $114 million, a transfer milestone Jurgen Klopp had suggested would never be passed.

Then, a $139 million attempt was made to lure Moises Caciedo from Brighton.

These bids were shocking because they substantially broke from the policy of prudence and development that had defined the Fenway Sports Group era at the club until that point.

For the best part of a decade, Liverpool did not do big-money moves.

Take the open letter owner John Henry penned to the fans in the autumn of 2012, after a summer in which buying Joe Allen, Nuri Sahin, and Fabio Borini had disappointed supporters.

“We will never place this club in the precarious position we found it when we took over at Anfield,” was the blunt explanation, “spending is not merely about buying talent. Our ambitions do not lie in cementing a mid-table place with expensive, short-term quick fixes that will only contribute for a couple of years.

“That ethos is to win. We will invest to succeed. But we will not mortgage the future with risky spending.”

He added: “The transfer window may not have been perfect, but we are not just looking at the next 16 weeks until we can buy again: we are looking at the next 16 years and beyond. These are the first steps in restoring one of the world’s great clubs to its proper status.

“It will not be easy, it will not be perfect, but there is a clear vision at work.”

It’s hard to argue with the structure Henry and FSG installed; players like Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were acquired for relatively modest fees and transformed into world beaters.

When spending on difference-makers was required, the club pushed the boat out to sign the likes of Virgil Van Dijk and Allison, but not ridiculously so. It always felt reasonable and balanced by other players’ sales.

As Manchester United pundit Gary Neville said in 2020, the methodology had been exacting.

“The club’s recruitment has been absolutely spot on, precise, laser-focused, every single player they have brought in they have made count,” he said.

“Every single player fits a mould, the principles of Klopp, there has been no veering away from that.

“He’s turned $30 million players into $130 million players, he’s turned $50 million players into $150 million players, while the other clubs have bought $130 million players and turned them into $30 million players.”

But now, having just been crowned champions, Liverpool is seeking to go further than any club has before by acquiring Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a British record transfer fee of $143 million.

Why Wirtz? Why Now?

At 22, Florian Wirtz is rated as one of the most exciting prospects in world soccer, and his price tag reflects that.

He was believed to join Bayern Munich or Manchester City for a seismic fee, so Liverpool’s emergence as the frontrunner was a surprise.

But Sky Sports News’ chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol claims a deal for the German star is on the brink.

“Liverpool are getting close to getting their top target. Wirtz is one of the best players in Europe at the moment,” he said.

“Liverpool won’t get up to [$169 million] but have made a bid of [$141 million]. We don’t know if it has been accepted or rejected, but the direction of travel is that he will end up being a Liverpool player.

“Up until a week ago, they thought he wanted to stay in Germany. Either at Leverkusen or Bayern Munich, but he said no to Bayern, as he wants to move to Liverpool.

“The clubs have a good relationship after paying Jeremie Frimpong’s release clause and I think they [Frimpong and Wirtz] are good friends. It would suit both of them.

“Even if you are champions, you need to refresh your squad because you know your rivals will be. You can’t stand still.

“If you do, you will be overtaken. If they pull this signing off, it could be a British record transfer fee. It is uncharted territory.

“I am pretty sure they will get Wirtz.”

To understand the caliber of the player Liverpool is buying, you only have to listen to what his manager, Xabi Alonso, said about him.

“Flo is one of the top players in the world,” he said, “He is world-class. Flo has a very mature mind. The people around him, his parents, want the best for him.

“There are good players and there are players who look good on the pitch. The player who looks good does things that are nice, but not necessarily efficient.

“Why is Messi so good? Because he knows how and when to play simple passes. Messi says: ‘You’re in a better position? Here, there you have the ball.’

“It’s not always about making the most brilliant move, but the best and smartest. Florian can do that. That’s why he’s so good.”

This is a bold play to cement Liverpool’s position at the top of the Premier League whilst long-term rivals Manchester City undergo a significant rebuild.

It is a clear break in strategy from signing up and coming or underappreciated talent. But it is a demonstration of ambition that will undoubtedly excite Liverpool supporters.