Bayern Munich brutally told to ‘shed a tear’ over Florian Wirtz miss as Liverpool get major promise

DFB managing director Andreas Rettig has explained why bitter comments recently aired by Bayern Munich chiefs towards Liverpool over Florian Wirtz show the Bundesliga giants are ‘still hurting’ over the transfer miss – but the Reds have been given a major promise over why the superstar will soon come good at Anfield despite his indifferent start.

The German playmaker stepped out of his comfort zone by accepting a move to Liverpool this summer, with the Premier League champions smashing their transfer record and agreeing a fee worth £116m (€135m, $155m) once add-ons are factored in. Agreeing to leave Bayer Leverkusen, Wirtz rejected the opportunity to continue his career in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich, who were also very much keen on a deal.

Ultimately, the interest from Liverpool meant Bayern were not, financially, able to compete, though had Wirtz made it clear that he wanted the move to the Allianz Arena – where regular trophy success is almost a guarantee – then Bayern felt sure a deal was there to be done.

As it was, Wirtz signed a five-year deal at Anfield, leaving a bitter Bayern to lick their wounds.

But with the player struggling to hit the ground running on Merseyside, Bayern’s former CEO and current board member, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, recently took aim at Wirtz and Liverpool over his poor form so far.

“I have to say honestly, in the case of Florian Wirtz, it still hurts, I feel sorry for him,” he told SportBild. “Because I believe the player would have been better off at Bayern than at Liverpool.”

Off the back of those comments, the DFB’s MD Rettig could not resist a playful dig at Rummenigge, insisting that Wirtz – who is yet to score or assist for the Reds in competitive competitions since the move – will soon hit the straps.

“From a club representative’s perspective, I can understand the statement about one of Germany’s best players, if he didn’t join his own club,” he told the media, before sarcastically mocking. “We shed a tear for him!”

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Florian Wirtz backed to hit full stride for Liverpool soon

Despite his inability to influence games the way many expected, and having been dropped to the subs bench last time out during the defeat at Chelsea, Rettig is adamant he will soon hit top form once he settles into his new surroundings.

“One thing is clear: Florian will prevail at Liverpool, there’s no debate about that. With a player of his quality, no one can seriously say he won’t prevail.”

His colleague and director of the German national side, Rudi Voller, agrees, having explained the major difference between life in the Premier League and Bundesliga.

“The big difference is: at Bayer Leverkusen, despite the individual quality of the other players, he was always looked for,” Voller said on Sky90. “Players like Granit Xhaka, Alejandro Grimaldo or Robert Andrich certainly ran the game.

“But the moment Florian made himself available, he always got the ball. Even as a young guy, he was already the chief.

“I deliberately watched some Liverpool games with him: he does an incredible amount of work, runs a lot, makes many sprints, and also goes deep.

“But he isn’t played in the way he was used to at Leverkusen or with the national team. That’s something that has to be developed over weeks and months.

“I know that he’s not one of those divas in his position who stand around with their heads down if they’re not passed to three times. Florian isn’t like that.

“He’s not only an extraordinary footballer, he also has a great character. He will give everything from the first to the last minute, always pushing forward. He also has incredible running stats. He will assert himself.

“We’re very happy that he has been with us for 10 days now. I am convinced he will deliver two wonderful international matches.”

Voller also thinks Wirtz will soon “show the English” what he is about, adding to BILD earlier this month: “Florian shouldn’t let himself get carried away.

“I have no concerns about that: He’ll show the English what he’s made of. Florian is playing in a new league and a new club. These are normal adjustment problems. Almost every professional has them.

“I have no doubt that with his running and playing ability, he will make the breakthrough.”

Wirtz himself has recently opened up on his exit from Leverkusen to Liverpool, stating: “I’m really happy about this (that I left Leverkusen on good terms). I would be really sad if it was the opposite.

“We achieved really, really big and incredible things together. In the end, we talked and were trustworthy and straight to each other to make the best possible thing for the move.

“Everyone was happy in the end and that’s what really matters for me, and I’m really happy about this.”

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On the transfer front, Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update on Ibrahima Konate’s situation, discussing the “interesting situation” that is now developing between Real Madrid and the player’s agents.

Elsewhere, Romano insists the Reds are a long way from completing the signing of Marc Guehi in 2026 after revealing a LONG list of clubs now battling for the Crystal Palace captain’s signature and ahead of what he has branded a “crazy battle”.

If the Reds miss out on the England man, they are reported to have already started monitoring other top targets and a report on Thursday claimed Liverpool are showing ‘keen interest’ in a personal favourite of Man Utd boss Ruben Amorim – and the stats show why the ‘monster’ defender would be perfect under Slot.

Finally, if the defending champions are to return to their best after the international break, they will also need Mo Salah to return to form after a few low-key appearances lately.

On that note, we’ve taken a deep dive into the Egyptian’s struggles at Anfield in recent weeks, naming eight reasons behind his poor form under Slot right now. We’ve also asked if a 2026 sale could indeed be on the cards…

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