Florian Wirtz motivation CLEAR as Fabrizio Romano drops new details
Working out a players' intentions when agreeing a move can be difficult.
Many players move for money, others move because the opportunity to join an elite club might not come up again if they decline it. It can be really tough to find an elite player with the right mentality.
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But in Florian Wirtz, Liverpool have found an absolute gem. Not only did his decision to not stay in Germany tell us everything about his ambition, but he recognises where he is at in his career.
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When his move is officially agreed, he will transfer from Leverkusen to Liverpool for a whopping £100m plus a potential £16m in add-ons that will be triggered accordingly based on his performance.
A transfer fee of that magnitude might tell you that he's on sky-high wages, but it was released earlier today that he's on less than you might think. In context, Liverpool have got a bargain deal.
How much will Wirtz earn at Liverpool?
According to Fabrizio Romano, who posted to X earlier today as the German makes his way to Merseyside for his medical tests and the contract signing formalities, Wirtz will earn £200k per week.
Bonuses will heap extras onto that fee in terms of goal and assist contributions, in addition to appearances, but his flat earnings will be nowhere near the rumoured claims of £300k a week.
The distinction between those two figures is enormous. In Liverpool's ranks, only Mohamed Salah, Virgil Van Dijk and Alisson earn more, and each of those three are world-class in their positions.
Now, make no mistake about it, Wirtz is a world-class attacking midfielder - he's won the Bundesliga player of the year award twice despite being just 22 years old. He's an astonishing footballer.
But in the Premier League, he hasn't shown his worth yet. The ceiling for Liverpool to reward him as he progresses throughout his contract is available. Eventually, he will join Salah and co. at £300k.
Furthermore, the expectation of him is managed. Per Capology, at £200k a week, he would be behind 24 players' Premier League salaries. He is incentivised to deliver to the best of his potential.
Had he joined Manchester City or a Saudi Arabian club, where the money is more guaranteed, we might be talking about the player in a different light, but his mentality is one of the truly elite.
An article in the new Anfield Watch newsletter spoke at length about Liverpool's 'pull' compared to those who convince players to join through significant wage packages or extremely long contracts.
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In reality, the Wirtz chose Liverpool because it made the most sense for his career, and if anything tells you that he will be one of the best in world, it's that his mentality was humble enough to look outside of what he would be earning, focusing instead on who could bring the best out of him.
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