"He’s probably the best player in Europe at the moment," former Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann said on the Aldo Meets Podcast after confirmation of Florian Wirtz's British-record £116 million ($159m) move to Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen was widely reported. "He played in a team that were 16th or 17th when [Xabi] Alonso took over, they end up winning the league the season after, this year they finished second. The biggest reason is Florian Wirtz. He is exceptional."
Hamann added on whether Wirtz can hit the ground running in the Premier League: "The reason why I think he will be a success is that he can look after himself. He is like a street kid. He won't shirk a challenge." In other words, Wirtz is a game-changer with an edge. Liverpool have broken the bank to sign the 22-year-old ahead of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Manchester City, but it's a shrewd investment that could pay off handsomely.
Almost three-and-a-half years ago, Wirtz tore his anterior cruciate ligament in a Bundesliga clash against Koln, and underwent a gruelling 10-month rehabilitation programme. It was feared that the injury would derail the playmaker's career before it had properly taken off, but under the guidance of Alonso, he defied all the odds to come back and spearhead the most successful period in Leverkusen's entire history.
The technical quality and mental fortitude Wirtz has shown at such a young age are nothing short of remarkable. Hamann's confidence in the Germany international is a reflection of that, and will be shared not only by all the decision-makers at Liverpool, but also neutral fans across the Premier League. This feels like the rarest type of transfer in the modern era: a sure thing.
Because of Wirtz's elite status and the money involved, it's also a deal that will have far-reaching implications. As such, GOAL has come up with eight winners and losers from the biggest transfer of the summer so far...