Wirtz hits back at claim he asked for Mac Allister’s No. 10 shirt in Liverpool transfer talks

MUNICH (AP) — Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Florian Wirtz seemingly denied a report that he requested the No. 10 shirt at Liverpool as part of talks over a potentially record-breaking transfer.

In rare public comments from the player whose fee could break the English Premier League record, Wirtz responded to a report from broadcaster Sky Germany on Tuesday that he would like to keep wearing No. 10 if he moves to Liverpool.

That number was worn this season by midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, a World Cup winner with Argentina, and is a storied shirt at Liverpool. Previous players to wear the No. 10 include club greats like John Barnes, Michael Owen, Philippe Coutinho and Sadio Mané.

“Who says I want the 10,” Wirtz wrote on Instagram late Tuesday, “I respect players.”

“Don’t believe everything what’s written,” he added with a clown emoji.

FILE -Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz in action during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Bayer Leverkusen and FC Augsburg at the BayArena in Leverkusen, Germany, April 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner), File)

The Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder is reportedly nearing a move to Premier League champion Liverpool after turning down interest from Bayern Munich. Liverpool has already signed his Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong, a Dutch right back.

Any agreement for Wirtz could break the British record of 106.7 million pounds (then $131.4 million) that Chelsea agreed to pay Benfica for Enzo Fernández in early 2023.

Wirtz is set to play for Germany on Wednesday in its Nations League semifinal against Portugal in Munich.