Bayern Chief Reveals How Liverpool Snatched Wirtz in Record-Breaking Deal
Bayern Munich's director Max Eberl has revealed that the German giants were financially unable to match Liverpool's offer for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz.
Earlier this summer, the Bundesliga champions had openly expressed interest in Wirtz and seemed to be frontrunners for his signature, until Liverpool unexpectedly emerged as the leading contender.
Following multiple unsuccessful offers, Liverpool have now secured a deal for Wirtz worth an impressive €136.3 million (£116.1 million, $157.8 million)—establishing a new record for the highest transfer fee in Bundesliga history and potentially breaking the Premier League transfer record if all bonus clauses are fulfilled.
"I'm not certain if we could have matched the price that Liverpool appears to be paying," Eberl explained to Sky Sports Germany.
"It was evident that the entire club acknowledged the player's exceptional talent. And we certainly could have envisioned him joining FC Bayern. Everyone participated, everyone was involved in discussions. However, Florian ultimately made a different choice, despite the conversations being very positive.
"Everyone was present at the negotiations. But Florian decided differently. That's simply how the transfer market operates."
While Eberl acknowledged his disappointment about failing to acquire Wirtz, he maintained that Bayern has sufficient talent to succeed without the German international.
"Initially, you say, 'Damn'," Eberl admitted regarding his reaction. "But when one opportunity closes, another presents itself.
"We'll now refocus our strategy for the future. Florian will develop his career at Liverpool. He's an extraordinary talent. But I always emphasize: We already have exceptional players at our club—Michael Olise, Jamal Musiala, Harry Kane, Joshua Kimmich and many others. It would have been wonderful if another remarkable player had joined our ranks.
"But now we're looking to identify another outstanding talent to strengthen our squad. I'm confident we'll assemble a very formidable team."
According to various sources, Athletic Club's Nico Williams has now become Bayern's primary transfer target.