Florian Wirtz is one of the best signings in Bundesliga history, according to a recruitment expert who saw him up close at Bayer Leverkusen.

Wirtz has been subject to transfer interest this summer, with Sky Germany believing the player is leaning towards moving to Liverpool.

The 22-year-old has spent his entire senior career so far at Leverkusen, joining the club’s youth ranks from Koln in January 2020 and making his senior debut four months later.

Discussing Wirtz’s impact at the club, Devin Ozek – who left his role as executive CEO assistant at Leverkusen earlier this year – told Sky Sports News in an exclusive interview: “He’s an unbelievably intelligent player, to understand spaces between the lines, creating chances, an advanced playmaker.

“But if we talk about Florian Wirtz, we have to give a lot of credit to [Leverkusen director of sport] Simon Rolfes, because he did a big job in signing him. He believed from the first moment in him and also [chief executive] Fernando Carro, both are responsible for this signing. And for me, it’s one of the best signings in the Bundesliga history. He’s in the top category.”

While Wirtz’s arrival to the Premier League remains up in the air, one player who is set to join Liverpool is Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong. The 24-year-old arrived in the UK earlier this week to finalise his move to Anfield.

When asked about how Leverkusen developed players such as Frimpong – who has been in Germany since 2021 – Ozek added: “I think we had a good structure to develop players and also we had the right coach. I think the coach had a big impact on the development of the individual players.

“Then good scouting, the scouting team is still doing a good job, and that’s why we were able to sign this kind of players.”

Wirtz and Frimpong were just two of the topics covered in a wide-ranging interview with Ozek, who also discussed the success of Xabi Alonso, who on Sunday was revealed as the new Real Madrid head coach following a successful spell at Leverkusen, and highly-rated defender Jonathan Tah.

Read on for more from Ozek…

On Alonso, Tah and Tuchel…

What gave you confidence in Xabi Alonso’s potential early on?

“If you watch the games of Real Sociedad B, you can see that he implemented a clear philosophy. Then if you watch the games in the beginning of the season, and then at the end of the season, you can see a big development of the young players.

“If you also take his player career, the coaches he played under, then it’s a big package, so that’s why we were comfortable with him.

“He has a big personality. If he comes into the room, then it’s a special aura, and I think he’s a special one. He’s going to be a big coach, for sure.”

What stands out about Jonathan Tah’s style of play and leadership?

“He’s an intelligence stopper. He has a good balance in being a ball-winning defender, but at the same time he developed a lot in ball-playing. He’s a good mix of both, Then his character as a leader – leading a team in a quiet but clear way, makes him a very good player.

“It’s always the team success that makes also the individuals more attractive. He was able to make a big step in playing very, very good in the important games. That’s why his market is bigger now.”

Was it easy to retain [Xabi] Alonso and the top players like Wirtz, [Jonathan] Tah, and Frimpong last summer after a successful season?

“I wouldn’t say it was easy. Both CEOs did an amazing job. They are very close to the team, they had very good communication with the players, and very early communication. It was a big job to keep 80 to 90 per cent of the squad together.”

What do you think about Thomas Tuchel’s appointment with the England national team?

“It was a little surprise, but I think it’s a fit. As a club coach, if you saw him in the Champions League semi-finals or final, he was always able to react to tactical things. As a national team coach, it’s a big quality you need, and he has a good team, a young team, so I believe that they can be successful.”

On his time at Bayer Leverkusen…

Can you describe your role and what it entailed at Bayer Leverkusen?

“I was working as a right hand of Simon Rolfes, CEO of sports in Bayer Leverkusen and we had a small team doing the squad planning, transfer management, loan management, coach scouting and we did it together.

“So it’s day by day, travelling all around the world, speaking with agents, meeting clubs, meeting players and try to prepare and run the window together as a team.

“I don’t know if there is a secret [to Leverkusen’s success], but I think working as a team all together, what I can say, there was a special atmosphere in the club. We have two amazing CEOs, I think this is maybe the secret, that they are leading and running everything and then we follow and we try to do our best and in the end it was successful.”

How did you build such a strong, history-making squad?

“It’s not luck that we built [a strong squad]. We worked in detail in things that we wanted to analyse, what we need and the structure about successful teams, so we worked a lot in detail. I think this makes us successful with the players on the pitch and a fantastic coach.”

On the intricacies of transfers…

How do you balance selling players while still building a competitive squad?

“Selling is a very important point because of all the financial rules we have, in the different leagues, also in UEFA, and at the same time, we are thinking a bit in categories.

“It depends if you are a top club or a selling club, but no matter what kind of club you are, you always have players out of project, and it’s important to start very early, to understand which players we want to sell, which players we want to leave, and to work on it in an active way.”

How do you deal with players who are no longer part of the project, especially those with high wages or low form?

“It’s important to check the expectations of the player, the expectations of the agent and then to see what kind of clubs can pay the transfer fee, the salary.

“It is then checking who is looking for this position, and if we know there are a few clubs, then it depends on the market, but there are a few markets where you can be active. You can fly, you can speak, you can push.

“Also as a club, it’s not only waiting for the agent. They may be getting a good commission in our club, and then he’s not interested to bring the player to another club, so that’s why it’s important to push also by ourselves.”

How do you weigh the right timing in selling players versus team stability?

“Timing is a very important point. The clubs want to sell the players out of the project very early, but the problem is if a player is out of shape or didn’t play or whatever, it’s very difficult that he’s the number one choice on the market, so you have to find the right moment to sell. Finding the right moment is key for being successful.”

With the new early summer transfer window and Club World Cup, how do you think the market will change?

“I don’t know because I have no experience with it, but my feeling at the moment is that the market is a bit strange, because a lot of clubs still don’t have their coaches or have just appointed coaches. There are also a few sporting director changes. But on the other side, a few clubs are very early because of the cup, so it changes a bit the dynamics.”

Is it a real advantage to do transfer business early, or does it depend more on the quality of the deal?

“Maybe, yes. Maybe they are in a better position in the beginning of the season, but on the other side, you don’t know what is going to happen on the market.

“Sometimes there are options you don’t expect, and maybe there are also better options later, so it’s important to find a balance. Too early is not good, and too late is not good, so find the middle way.”

Have you faced unexpected challenges in a transfer window?

“Yes, of course. Sometimes things we didn’t expect happen because of injuries, because we are getting an offer for a player we want to sell, and then we have to sell, so we have to be prepared always. But all the professional clubs are working with shadow teams, so they are prepared for every position if something is coming up, and then they can react.”

On Brighton boss Fabian Hurzeler and German coaches…

What is your take on Fabian Hurzeler and other young professionals like yourself?

“We work a lot and this is very important. Then you have to have luck in the right moment to get the chance, and you have to use it.

“It’s also something positive, if you start so young, then you have no children, you can travel more, you can invest more time. It’s a difference, because if a football player gets into the position after his career, then there’s already a whole family. It’s not easy, but if you work a lot and you have a bit of luck, then it’s possible.”

“[Hurzeler] can go very far. He’s very talented, he’s doing an amazing job, and he did already in the past. I hope for him that the development continues like this and that he can be one of the top coaches in the world.”

Do you think young German coaches are in high demand right now?

“Yes, maybe. Maybe we have talented coaches, now we have to use it for being successful, hopefully again. The last cup was successful with the national team, but to win titles again, I hope, I wish.”

On his next career move…

After your success at Leverkusen, what are you looking for next?

“I’m looking for a director role, and the right project where I can improve myself and I can help to develop the project. It’s not about the club name, it’s more about the right project to being successful together and to work in a team.”

Would you consider working in England?

“It depends on the city, where it is, but yes, the Premier League is the best league in the world, so of course it’s an option.”

How does the role of a sporting director differ between the Premier League and Bundesliga?

“In the Bundesliga, the sporting director role is more classic. For example, the sporting director is sitting on the bench, giving interviews a lot, and in the Premier League, the sporting director is a bit more behind [the scenes].

“Also in the Premier League, the directors are travelling more and in Germany, the sporting director is very close to the team, so there are a few differences.”

“I don’t want to speak every week, so for me, [I like] the English style better, but maybe sometimes.”

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