Wirtz made his top-flight debut aged 17 for Bayer Leverkusen in May 2020 and just 19 days later he became the then-youngest goalscorer in Bundesliga history against the might of Bayern Munich – a club who were also in contention for his signature this summer.
In addition to his goalscoring efforts, Wirtz has provided 44 assists in the Bundesliga since he made his debut.
That ranks him third of all players over that time but everyone else in the top five is aged 29 or older, which indicates the high ceiling for Wirtz’s development.
A dynamic playmaker blessed with pace, awareness and the ability to make clever decisions at high speed he was one of the Bundesliga’s top performers operating as a number 10.
He was also the most effective dribbler of all players in the German top flight last season, both in terms of volume and accuracy while carrying the ball.
A total of 23 of his 31 Bundesliga appearances in 2024-25 came in an attacking midfield/number 10 berth, although he does tend to drift towards the left wing.
German football expert Raphael Honigstein told BBC Radio 5 Live that Wirtz is “more or less the fully-formed article” and Liverpool are “buying a superstar” who will “bring a lot of class and poise”.
“He has played for Leverkusen and Germany so knows the demands that are on him, but still, he will have to adjust to the pace of the Premier League and the more physical way,” Honigstein said.
“Opponents will try to negate his influence and that might prove a challenge, but he is young enough and good enough. He is not easily intimidated and stands up strong to the challenge.”
The youngest player to reach 50 Bundesliga appearances at 18 years and seven months, he was the face of a fearless and dynamic Leverkusen side.
He is also an influential dressing room figure despite his age.
“Even early in his Bundesliga career, he carried himself like a leader. He’s not the loudest voice in the room, but his presence is felt,” said German football writer Constantin Eckner.
