Liverpool’s transfer business was turned up to eleven on Friday evening as the signing of Florian Wirtz was finally announced.
Reds supporters have been waiting patiently over the past weeks after news broke that a record deal was in the offing.
And after unexpectedly seeing off competition from the likes of Bayern Munich and Manchester City for Wirtz, it was finally made official on Friday.
Over the past days, information has slowly been filtering through as to why Wirtz decided that Liverpool was to be the next step in his career.
Throughout it all, the presence and ideas of Reds boss Arne Slot have been credited as playing a major factor in the German’s decision.
And as he sat down for his first interview as part of the Liverpool squad, Wirtz revealed what really happened when he first met Slot.
Florian Wirtz reveals Arne Slot chat
This is an enormous moment for Liverpool. The club has had big transfers in the past, but never to the same scale as the one announced on Friday.
To beat Bayern to any German player would be an achievement worth celebrating. But to beat them to arguably the greatest talent in the country right now is downright remarkable.
Much is seemingly owed to Slot and his meticulous nature. And when asked about the Liverpool head coach during his first sit down with LFCTV, Wirtz praised the conversations he’d had with Slot.
“The conversations were always really good,” said the 22-year-old.
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“I can remember the first time [we met] he already showed me some scenes and how he wants to play, how I could fit in the team.
“He was just telling me I’m a player he really wants to have in his team and I can bring the team a step forward, and I could just imagine it would be good to be in the team and to make it better. I have to make my performances every week but I’m here for this.”
What else did Wirtz say?
In an extensive interview with the club’s in-house media team, Wirtz also recalled the feeling of playing at Anfield for Bayer Leverkusen last November.
“It was really tough to play here!” he said. “But I was still thinking about the game when I spoke to the coach or the guys and this was an example of how it can be here.
“It was really hard, we lost 4-0 and we had to run so much! We lost almost every duel and I just wanted to be part of this team.
“I was feeling the quality of the team and the size of the club and for sure,” Wirtz added. “Inside me I was always thinking about this game and I could remember how it was to play here.”
With a deal for Milos Kerkez also agreed earlier in the day, it has been one heck of a Friday for Liverpool fans.
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