Bayer Leverkusen boss publishes heartfelt farewell letter to Florian Wirtz | OneFootball

Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes has published an emotional farewell letter to Florian Wirtz on his LinkedIn platform. The Bundesliga manager – presently in Slovakia wrapping up an important new signing for his club – took time to compose a heartfelt message to the new Liverpool signing on Sunday.

“Dear Florian,” the letter begins. “I don’t want to be writing this. I wish I were telling the world that you will remain at Bayer 04 Leverkusen for the rest of your career. But you have decided to leave our club and start a new chapter in your life. We are not only losing one of the best players in the world, but also a very special person

“When I first met you, it wasn’t just your skills that stood out,” the letter continues, “Even though your touch on the ball still leaves me speechless, what really impressed me was your attitude. That attitude has made you a leader. Calm, focused, determined. More experienced players admire you. You’ve been a superstar for a long time, but you’ve remained the same Flo.

“You never lost your drive,” Rolfes notes in reference to Wirtz’s comeback from a potential career-ending injury in March 2022. “If anything, your attitude became even stronger after your cruciate ligament injury. We talked during that difficult time, and I could feel your frustration at not being able to play. But I could also feel your determination to come back even stronger.

“And you probably remember when we were in Marseille and I told you that you could have the number 10,” Rolfes says of the particular instance in which Wirtz requested a new tricot number during a friendly ahead of the 2023/24 season. “Thank you, Flo, for your time under the [Bayer] cross and for being who you are.A also a big thank you to your family [Wirtz retains representation from his father].

“We’ve known each other for many years, and the trust and bond between us are strong and unusual in the footballing business,” Rolfes concludes.

GGFN | Peter Weis