Florian Wirtz may be leaving Bayer Leverkusen for Liverpool, but he has departed with ‘total respect’ from the German club, one director in particular sending an emotional message.
When a quality player decides to leave your team, often the relationship between the individual and the club sours due to the disappointment of losing a key tool to success.
For Wirtz, though, despite moving on at just 22 years old, he has with him the best wishes of those at Leverkusen.
The German club posted an emotional video on social media, thanking Wirtz for his time in which he helped win their first-ever Bundesliga title.
Managing director Simon Rolfes also had a personal message for Wirtz, writing on LinkedIn: “I would like to tell the world that you will stay at Bayer 04 Leverkusen for the rest of your career.
“But you decided to leave our club and to open a new chapter in your life. Of course, I totally respect that. We not only lose one of the best players in the world, we lose a special person…
“I wish you all the best at Liverpool Football Club. I know you will make your way there and I hope you will win many matches and titles.”
As a 16-year-old, Wirtz joined Leverkusen from Koln in January 2020 and only had to wait until May to make his first-team debut.
In total, the attacking midfielder played 197 times for Die Werkself, scoring 57 goals and contributing 65 assists.
His best season in terms of output came as Leverkusen went on a remarkable run, finishing the 2023/24 campaign unbeaten as Bundesliga and German Cup champions under Xabi Alonso.
They also reached the Europa League final, where they lost to a strong Atalanta side who had knocked Liverpool out in the semi-finals.
For such a young player, he took on massive responsibility as the team’s main creative outlet.
Another man from that double-winning side, Jeremie Frimpong, has also moved from Leverkusen to Liverpool this summer, with the pair’s old club wishing them well.
“Inseparable. Make sure they keep laughing together,” Leverkusen’s X account wrote, accompanying the caption with a collage of photos showing Frimpong and Wirtz together.
Simon Rolfes’ full message for Florian Wirtz
Dear Florian,
I don’t want to write this. I would like to tell the world that you will stay at Bayer 04 Leverkusen for the rest of your career. But you decided to leave our club and to open a new chapter in your life. Of course, I totally respect that. We not only lose one of the best players in the world, we lose a special person.When I first met you, it wasn’t just your skills that stood out. Even if what you do with the ball still leaves me speechless. What really impressed me was your mindset. Your will to win. The hunger to score, no matter the scoreline. That constant drive to get better, even in the smallest details. And your environment with your parents always at your side, supporting you while also keeping you grounded.
You never lost that hunger. If anything, your mindset grew stronger after your ACL injury. We spoke during that tough time, and I could feel your frustration to not being able to have a ball on your feet. But also how determined you were to come back even stronger.
That attitude made you a leader. Quiet, focused, driven. More experienced players look up to you. You’re a superstar for quite some time but you’ve stayed the same Flo. Like in that title-deciding match against Bremen. It had to be you with that hat-trick. Even when the fans were already on the pitch, you had to score again.
You once told me you’d never scored a hat-trick before, and that’s why you went for it. Simple as that. And you surely remember when we were in Marseille and I told you that you could have the shirt number 10. You were very happy and proud, The photo shows us a few minutes later and you’re still glowing out of happiness. It tells a lot about you.
I wish you all the best at Liverpool Football Club. I know, you will make your way there and I hope you will win many matches and titles. Maybe not, when we face each other.
Thank you, Flo, for your time under the cross and for being who you are. And also huge thanks to your family who have been with us so often. To your parents for always being open in all conversation and for being respectful and humble. We know each other for many many years and the trust and bond between us is strong and unusual in the football business. You all will stay part of the Bayer 04 family.
Stay tuned,
Simon
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