Florian Wirtz has been the subject of numerous snippy comments from Bayern Munich since snubbing their advances to join Liverpool this summer. The 22-year-old joined the Reds in an £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen, rejecting interest from Bayern and Manchester City. However, he has faced intense scrutiny after a slow start, with no goals or assists in the Premier League so far.
Bayern's former CEO and current board member Karl-Heinz Rummenigge recently took aim at Wirtz's transfer choice. 'I have to say honestly, in the case of Florian Wirtz, it still hurts, I feel sorry for him,' he told Sport Bild. 'Because I believe the player would have been better off at Bayern than at Liverpool.'
DFB managing director Andreas Rettig responded to Rummenigge's comments, playfully mocking the Bayern legend. '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 said. 'We shed a tear for him. One thing is clear: Florian will prevail at Liverpool, there's no debate about that.'
German national team sporting director Rudi Voller also defended Wirtz, attributing his struggles to adjusting to new teammates. 'The big difference is: at Bayer Leverkusen, despite the individual quality of the other players, he was always looked for,' Voller said on Sky90. '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.'
Voller expressed confidence in Wirtz's ability to succeed. 'He will give everything from the first to the last minute, always push forward. He also has incredible running stats. He will assert himself,' he said. 'Florian shouldn't let himself get carried away. I have no doubt that with his running and playing ability, he will make the breakthrough.'
