Bayer Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro thinks Florian Wirtz would've rejected Liverpool to sign for Real Madrid if the La Liga giants had bid for the Germany star. The Reds fought off interest from the likes of Bayern Munich and Man City to snap up the playmaker in a deal worth up to £116m.

The 22-year-old had frequently been linked with Real Madrid in the past, too, with such speculation heightened after Xabi Alonso left Bayer Leverkusen to return to the Santiago Bernabeu as head coach. And Carro believes Wirtz would have jumped at the opportunity to reunite with Alonso in Madrid - having won the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal under the Spaniard at the BayArena - as he explained why a switch to Spain never materialised.

"He would certainly have gone to Madrid, Carro told SPORT1's Doppelpass.

"If...