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The pace of it still appears remarkable even now.
After reports first surfaced that Liverpool were pursuing Florian Wirtz, within weeks, they beat Bayern Munich and Manchester City to secure the player who could ultimately cost them $157 million.
However, according to Thorsten Wirth, the co-owner and managing director of Virgil van Dijk's agency, ROOF (Representatives Of Outstanding Footballers), there was another "pretty remarkable" element of a deal that will see Liverpool pay Bayer Leverkusen a guaranteed $136M and a further $22M in add-ons.
"There are also plenty of situations where there isn't even a professional agent involved..." Wirth shared on Tom Junkersdorf's TOMorrow Business Podcast via FootballAgencies.com. "Take Florian Wirtz, probably the biggest deal of the summer, and it was set up by his father. That's pretty remarkable."
"The whole industry was probably watching to see when the family would bring in outside help, and whether they could really see it through to the end on their own, and they did a great job. There was definitely a lot of pressure — top tier in terms of fees and salaries, and huge media attention.
"Is this a model that always works? I don't think so. Wirtz has the luxury of being, along with (Jamal) Musiala, the most exceptional player in Germany. He doesn't have a demand problem. Most players do.
"For many, it's not a given there are four or five offers on the table - you have to actively develop, negotiate, and work to plan the best possible career.
"Of course we (ROOF) pitched at some point — the door was closed. With a player of that quality, if we hadn't pitched, we wouldn't have been doing our job. But the family has managed it without an agency to this day."
Wirtz, whose parents serve as his representatives, has yet to find the net for Liverpool following his switch from Leverkusen. However, the 22-year-old displayed his considerable ability during the Champions League victory over Real Madrid in midweek.
Wirth, whose agency also represents the likes of Sadio Mané and Harvey Elliott as well as Reds skipper Van Dijk, continued: "To judge Wirtz after matchday two or three is way too soon. Even world-class players need time to adapt - new dressing room, different culture, different league and dynamics.
"We've seen it before: (Per) Mertesacker to Arsenal needed an adaptation phase; (Kai) Havertz to Chelsea didn't look perfect from day one. I hope he's given that time, and the last few games suggest he's already trending up."
Reports emerged in February 2023 suggesting Van Dijk had become part of ROOF following his representative Neil Fewings' appointment as managing director after spending over 15 years with the Wasserman agency. On the podcast, Wirth revealed: "He actually joined our England advisor, Neil Fewings, quite early on. So Virgil van Dijk has been working with Neil for years now, and that's how he became part of ROOF.
"Virgil is simply a global brand. You become a global brand more easily in the Premier League than in the Bundesliga, probably. That means the platform is part of it — the kind of exposure that Liverpool has. Whether they tour the USA, Asia, or Australia, just by being part of the club, as a player you already have a certain leverage.
"You also need the personality for it. He's someone who makes an impression in any room he enters — through his physical presence, his character, his charisma.
"When you have Liverpool on your shirt and you're that kind of person, with that mentality, a certain charm, wit, and intelligence in how you speak and what you say, it's a perfect match for a world-class career."
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