Dortmund CEO: Wirtz should have joined Bayern over Liverpool | OneFootball

Liverpool’s move for Florian Wirtz has drawn an unexpected response from Borussia Dortmund’s CEO, who bizarrely suggested the £116m transfer would have been “better for the Bundesliga” if he had joined Bayern Munich instead.

As reported by WerkselfXtra on X via Kicker, Hans-Joachim Watzke has criticised the move to Anfield, saying:

“It’s a real shame that a player like Florian Wirtz is leaving the Bundesliga. I wouldn’t have had a problem at all if he had gone to FC Bayern. That would have been better for the Bundesliga.”

His comments have raised eyebrows, particularly given Dortmund’s long-standing struggles with Bayern regularly snapping up their best players – including Robert Lewandowski, Mario Gotze and Mats Hummels.

Rather than welcome the fact that German talent is being valued on a wider European stage, Watzke’s response has come across as contradictory.

Many fans will be baffled by his preference for Wirtz to move to Bayern, especially considering Leverkusen’s rise has been a rare challenge to their dominance.

The 22-year-old Germany international is expected to arrive on Merseyside for a medical this week after we agreed a package worth £116m with Leverkusen, including £16m in add-ons.

He scored 16 goals and registered 15 assists in 2024/25 and was named Bundesliga Player of the Year during the previous two campaigns.

Watzke’s Bayern comments highlight Germany’s Munich obsession

(Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images)

Watzke’s comments are further proof of the long-standing issue in German football where Bayern’s dominance has distorted transfer expectations.

It’s been widely reported that Liverpool had a second bid for Florian Wirtz rejected (via Christian Falk) before finally striking an agreement with Leverkusen.

Had he joined Bayern instead, it would have been seen as yet another routine domestic move for a generational German talent.

Instead, the midfielder has chosen to follow a different path – linking up with our head coach Arne Slot, who has already guided us to the Premier League title in his first season and has bold plans for Wirtz as our new No.10.

Not only that but the former Koln youngster has turned down the larger wages that were on offer in Munich, in order to make his Merseyside move.

The fact Dortmund’s CEO would rather see him stay in Germany than test himself abroad might say more about the Bundesliga’s internal politics than Liverpool’s ambitions.

For context, this is the same Dortmund that lost Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid – and cashed in without protest.

There were no such complaints about the benefits of German football then.

Meanwhile, Leverkusen’s acceptance of our third offer and the planned medical this week show that this is now a done deal – regardless of Dortmund complaints.

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