German midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen has become the most expensive player in British soccer history after Liverpool signed the deal for his transfer worth £116 million (approximately 135.4 million euros or $156 million). The German footballer’s deal has exceeded the previous most expensive player transfer agreement in the Premier League, Ecuadorian midfielder Moisés Caicedo, for whom Chelsea placed a price tag of £115 million (about 134.2 million euros or $146 million) In his first words posted by his new football club on X after the announcement, Wirtz thanked the team for their support. “Thank you for your support, and I am looking forward to playing with them and achieving big things,” Wirtz said. “So, yeah, I am really happy to come and sorry for the long wait.” The German footballer, 22, who debuted with Leverkusen on May 18th, 2020, two weeks after his 17th birthday, has several records under his belt, including being the German league’s youngest goalscorer when he netted in a defeat against Bayer Munich. One of the best playmakers in the world According to FootyStats, Wirtz has played a total of 225 professional matches, scored 67 goals and accumulated 69 assists. “Wirtz is arguably one of the best out-and-out attacking playmakers in the world right now,” former scout Tor-Kristian Karlsen told ESPN. “It’s no surprise he’s been courted by the biggest clubs in world football. He’s likely to be the defining attacking footballer for the next decade.” Understandably, Wirtz has been heaped with praise, CNN wrote. Barcelona and former German national team manager Hansi Flick called him “the full package,” while former Leverkusen striker Patrick Helmes went as far as to label him “probably the best midfielder in the world.” “Florian is a more direct player (than Musiala), a strategic playmaker,” said former Germany coach Joachim Löw. “He constantly has his head up, always looking for his teammates, and has the vision to play that decisive final pass.” Part of a talented midfield At Liverpool, Wirtz will be part of a talented midfield featuring Alexis Mac Allister – a World Cup winner with Argentina – Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, as well as linking up with former Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong, who the Reds also signed last month, CNN added. On top of prolific goalscorer Mohamed Salah, 33, signing a new deal with Liverpool FC at the end of last season, Wirtz’s arrival gives Slot an array of attacking options next season. In an exclusive interview on the Liverpool FC official website, Wirtz said, “I just thought that it was the right point in my career to make the next step and of course I wanted to get to a club that is from the top three in the world, and in my opinion Liverpool was one of them. And in the end, it was also easy for me to be excited about coming to Liverpool.”