Liverpool beat Bayern Munich to the signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen earlier this summer
21:00, 04 Oct 2025Updated 22:17, 04 Oct 2025
Florian Wirtz of Liverpool warms up prior to the Premier League match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Stamford Bridge(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Bayern Munich CEO Jan-Christian Dreesen has fired a subtle dig at Liverpool after missing out on Florian Wirtz to the Premier League champions this summer. The Bavarians had long been the favourites to sign the Germany international.
However, the Reds stole a march on both the Bundesliga giants and fellow suitors Man City, with a persuasive pitch from Arne Slot ultimately persuading the 22-year-old to leave Germany and make the move to Anfield.
Liverpool broke their transfer record to sign Wirtz back at the end of June, bringing in the playmaker from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth up to a then British record £116m.
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Bayern were not impressed to miss out on the midfielder, and have fired numerous digs at both player and club in recent months when reflecting on missing out on Wirtz’s signature.
And Dreesen has seemingly done so again when insisting Bayern ‘can afford any transfer’ but suggesting forking out such a fee goes against the club’s ‘DNA’.
He also made a point of name-checking the Reds and their own finances when ruing the superior revenue on offer to Premier League sides courtesy of the English top-flight’s broadcasting deals.
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“We can afford any transfer we want,” he told Welt Am Sonntag, as quoted by BILD. “We have an excellent capital ratio.
“FC Bayern is doing very well. But we want to be able to pay a player – without having to run to the bank. That’s not FC Bayern’s DNA.
“The bottom team in the English league, at €125m, has €60m more in media revenue than us.
“Liverpool has €200m, while FC Barcelona and Real Madrid each have €160m.”
Wirtz has endured a muted start to his Liverpool career and has failed to record a goal or assist in the Premier League during the opening two months of the campaign, with his performances come under scrutiny both in England and Germany.