Sports Managing Director Simon Rolfes revealed how Bayer 04 Leverkusen wants to build the future team with the 140 million euros Retrosphere for Florian Wirtz – and gave insights into Wirtz ‘choice of club and the negotiations.
In an interview with the “Sportbild”, the 43-year-old said that “the next title team” should now be set up.
“We want to oblige players who immediately help us with their quality and at the same time have the potential to develop. Our goal is to always count among the top 4 of the league and to be able to get titles,” said Simon Rolfes ambitiously.
So far, the runner -up has announced five entrances. In addition to veteran Mark Flekken for the goal, the talents Ibrahim Maza, Tim Oermann, Abdoulaye Faye and Axel Tape came to the Rhineland.
The Dutchman Erik Ten Hag also succeeds successful coach Xabi Alonso.
Bayer Leverkusen: Simon Rolfes reveals the Wirtz transfers’ expiry
Rolfes also openly gave an insight into the course of Florian Wirtz’s choice of clubs and in the negotiations of Bayer Leverkusen with other clubs.
Video: Wirtz says about his Liverpool adventure
“There was not one moment, but a development. Our endeavor to extend with Florian and keep him at least for a year. From and after we felt that he was more concerned with making a change now,” said the managing director: “From February, March, the conversations were more about other clubs and others. We always knew how he thought. We knew from the parents.”
Rolfes said: “In May he told us that he chose Liverpool FC.”
Leverkusen did not negotiate with FC Bayern Munich, who was also very interested. “We only led negotiations with Liverpool after Florian informed us that this is his wish club,” said the 43-year-old.
Unusually, neither Rolfes nor another person from the Werkelf management set with those responsible for FC Liverpool met. “The people of both clubs are so well known that no personal meeting was necessary for the processing. We did that on the phone, email and in video conferences.”