Andrich says he was worried Wirtz would leave Bayer and strengthen Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich.
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He stated, “I said to him: Please don’t do it! Don’t do this to us.
“I wanted it (the move abroad) and I told the Bayern boys that too. I’m happy for him that he took the step. I wouldn’t have thought that he would dare to take the step abroad (so early).”
Wirtz would eventually move to Liverpool for a record £125m last summer.