Florian Wirtz told Liverpool transfer is a 'real shame' ahead of Reds medical

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Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has claimed it’s a “real shame” to see Florian Wirtz join Liverpool.

The Reds have agreed an initial deal of £100 million ($136M) to sign Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, with a further £16M ($22M) in potential add-ons. A medical is reportedly scheduled for later this week, after which the 22-year-old will officially be confirmed as a Liverpool player.

Richard Hughes and Arne Slot convinced Wirtz to sign despite interest from Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Real Madrid. The German international was sold on the club’s long-term vision, with Liverpool deciding to pay a club-record fee for a player who has been described as a “once-in-a-century talent”.

That explains the disappointment in Germany, that the league’s star name - who was voted player of the season in each of the last two years - is set to depart.

Dortmund chief Watzke also serves as the DFL (German Football League) chairman of the supervisory board and feels the Bundesliga will suffer from Wirtz’s exit.

“It’s a real shame, especially for the DFL, that a player like Florian Wirtz is leaving the Bundesliga. I wouldn’t have had a problem at all if he had gone to Bayern,” Watzke told Kicker.

“That would have been better for the Bundesliga. It doesn’t really matter for the national team. He’ll play at the highest level in Liverpool, too.

“He could have worked better with [Jamal] Musiala in Munich, but two such good footballers can find each other anyway.”

The frustration from Germany may stem from a belief that, excluding Bayern, no Bundesliga club can compete with the finances of sides from the Premier League.

“I am sure that we will have a competitive team - and that we will also have the finances under control,” Max Eberl, Bayern’s sporting director, told Sky Germany last week.

(Image: Getty Images)

“If I'm honest, I don't know if we could have paid what Liverpool are apparently paying now. Florian Wirtz is an outstanding player. We could have imagined signing him. But when a door closes, another opens.”

After Wirtz’s deal is announced, the club’s new signing will enjoy a few weeks off before meeting up with the squad when it returns to pre-season on July 7.

The German could play his first match six days later when Liverpool faces Preston North End in its opening friendly of the summer.

Wirtz may go on to become the Premier League’s record signing should all of the $22M worth of add-ons be met, while he becomes just the fifth £100M+ signing in the division’s history.

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