SPORTSWORLD.AM
Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Caro has suggested that midfielder Florian Wirtz, who joined Liverpool from the German club in the summer, did not consider the Merseysiders as his main option to continue his career.
"The Wirtz family and Florian himself knew that extending his contract was our top priority. During the summer transfer window, we were very careful about salaries, but we were ready to make an exception for Florian. We were ready to cross the line and do everything to extend his contract. And for a while it seemed like it might work.
I confess, we sometimes worried him too much. In the end, Florian made his choice. His parents are his advisors, and I think it's good that they fully respect Florian's wishes.
He is the one who wants to win the Champions League. We thought we could do more with this team. Florian saw that we won the German championship, but he understood that winning the Champions League with Bayer Leverkusen would be more difficult. He would definitely move to Real Madrid if Xabi Alonso made an offer. But Xabi has less influence at the club than we do.
"One of Xabi Alonso's greatest strengths was his ability to find the right players for the team with our scouting department. 'At Real Madrid, the transfer decisions are made by Florentino Perez, not Xabi Alonso,'" Carro said in an interview with Sport1.