The man who helped sign Florian Wirtz for Bayer Leverkusen insists there is “no question” he will be a success at Liverpool, having outlined his ambition to him.
Tim Steidten was, for a brief period, linked with the vacant sporting director role at Liverpool in 2024.
While he went on to join West Ham instead, with Richard Hughes lined up for the position at Anfield, his reputation in Germany explains why he was considered.
It was Steidten who helped bring Wirtz to Bayer Leverkusen from FC Koln in 2020, while working as head of scouting for the Bundesliga club.
Speaking to Sky Germany this week, the 46-year-old revealed how the attacking midfielder told Leverkusen chiefs his ambition was to become “the best player in the world.”
“Many people ask me whether he’ll make it [at Liverpool]. For me, there’s no question about it,” Steidten insisted.
“My answer is always clear: no question. As far as his footballing abilities go, there’s no need to even discuss it.
“But on a human level, he also has an absolute will to continue developing.
“I remember our first conversation with him in [sporting director] Simon Rolfes’ office well – his parents were there too.
“Simon asked him: ‘Where do you want to go, what do you want to achieve?’. And Florian replied: ‘I want to become the best player in the world’.
“There are players from whom you don’t immediately believe such a statement. But we immediately believed Florian – and he immediately demonstrated his ambition.”
Wirtz came through the academy at Koln and it was there that Steidten first noticed his talent – and he went on to describe the No. 10 as “a player you don’t have to scout.”
“If we hadn’t known Wirtz as a Koln player back then, it would have been a huge mistake,” he admitted.
“My first conversation with Simon Rolfes was actually about him. He asked me: ‘Tim, we have the chance to get Florian Wirtz. What do you think of him?’.
“You don’t have to think about it for long. If you get the opportunity to sign him, you have to do it as a club.
“Simon and I flew to Portugal because the German U16 team played there with Florian.
“But we actually only flew there to get one last impression of the player. After that, it wasn’t a big consideration.
“He’s just a player you don’t have to scout – you just have to get him when you get the chance.”
