Florian Wirtz's 'secret meeting' with Arne Slot helped seal Liverpool transfer - FIVE years after Reds first approached Bayer Leverkusen's family

Despite persistent interest from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, Wirtz has opted to make the switch to Merseyside. Liverpool have agreed to pay a British record £116 million ($156m) fee to Leverkusen for his services as they managed to negotiate a reduced package.

Former Liverpool midfielder and Germany international Hamann has now shed light on what may have tipped the scales in Liverpool’s favour. He revealed that while Bayern made their pursuit of Wirtz quite public, the Reds operated quietly and effectively behind the scenes. They remained in touch with Wirtz's family for several years and a private tour of the Kirkby academy helped the midfielder to make an informed decision about his future.

In an interview with Wette.de, Hamann said he'd heard a "secret meeting" between Slot and Wirtz had taken place before the deal with Leverkusen was agreed. "Apparently Liverpool have been in contact with Florian Wirtz for a long time, he and his family were impressed with how the club went about their business," he said.

"Liverpool tried to get him when he joined Bayer Leverkusen five years ago and have always been in touch, the interest then warmed again over the last year but nobody knew. Bayern Munich were very vocal about wanting him so everyone expected him to go there, but from what I’ve heard, he met Arne Slot who showed him around the training ground and that's when he made his mind up. If there were any doubts for him, meeting all the staff put that to rest and I think he has made a fantastic choice."

Wirtz departs German football having achieved notable domestic success, winning both the Bundesliga and the DFB-Pokal with Leverkusen. Hamann emphasized the significance of doing so without having joined Bayern, often the dominant force in Germany.

"He won the league and cup in Germany and did so without needing to sign for Bayern," he argued. "Liverpool have got a fantastic player, a skillful player that makes other players better. He has a fantastic understanding with Jeremie Frimpong which is another bonus and what I like about him is that he got kicked around quite a bit in Germany but he looks after himself."

The Merseyside club has locked Wirtz in on a long-term contract that will keep him at Anfield until the summer of 2030. His medical is reportedly scheduled for Friday, and provided everything goes smoothly, Liverpool are expected to confirm the signing officially very shortly.