Liverpool transfer target Florian Wirtz has expressed an ambition to eclipse Arsenal’s Kai Havertz in terms of talent and achievements. The 22-year-old maestro is on Liverpool and Manchester City’s radar over a high-profile move this summer.
Reports suggested Liverpool had met with Wirtz’s family this week but Liverpool.com understands that no such meeting took place, although there is a long-standing interest in the Germany international.
Wirtz made his mark as Bayer Leverkusen’s youngest-ever senior player at the tender age of 17 back in May 2020 and faced the hefty challenge of filling the shoes left by Havertz, who sealed a transfer to the Premier League with Chelsea that same year.
In a chat with Sportbild during 2021, Wirtz shared: “It motivates me to be even better than Kai. I always want to be the best, and I hate losing. I’ve always been like this.”
This statement epitomises Wirtz’s competitive nature, one that’s propelled him to thrive at Leverkusen under manager Xabi Alonso, signalling the kind of talent Liverpool or City could incorporate into their lineup.
Despite their rivalry, Wirtz recognises the impact Havertz has had on his game, revealing: “I watched [Havertz] in training; how he behaved in front of goal and moved in the space.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Should a switch to the Premier League come to fruition, Wirtz might find himself vying with Havertz and Arsenal in the next season. Havertz’s move has seen Arsenal emerge as formidable contenders against Liverpool and City in the title race over recent years, yet Arteta’s squad has consistently fallen short of clinching the top spot.
Havertz, who made the switch from Chelsea blue to Arsenal red in 2023 for $86 million (£65 million) is still chasing his inaugural Premier League title. The German has shared his thoughts on the pressures of early success. He warned Wirtz, often hailed as the ‘next Havertz’, to ignore the buzz that’s building around him at Leverkusen.
“With me, everything happened so quickly. I just didn’t understand where all the hype came from,” Havertz reflected. “It’s hard to maintain your form as a young player.
“It’s always up and down. You can’t trust everyone who praises you after a good game any more than you can believe those who label you crap after a bad one. It’s important to learn how to tune others out.”
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Yet, Wirtz has truly stepped up at Leverkusen, even surpassing Havertz’s achievements with an extraordinary record of 57 goals and 65 assists in 196 outings for the club.
While Liverpool is in high spirits, manager Arne Slot is already strategizing on how to strengthen the squad for upcoming title defences and trophy chases next season. A move to sign young prodigy Wirtz would be a significant statement from the Reds, although Pep Guardiola is also hot on the trail of the rising star.
German sports news giants Kicker and BILD reported on Wednesday that the highly coveted 22-year-old recently met with top Liverpool officials while in England. However, luring him away from the Bundesliga could come with a hefty price tag of over £124 million, with Bayern Munich remaining the most likely destination.
