Liverpool Football Club has reportedly reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen to secure the services of German international Florian Wirtz. The deal, potentially worth a British record £116 million, marks a significant statement of intent from the Merseyside club as they look to build on their recent Premier League title success under new manager Arne Slot.
The total package for Wirtz is structured as an initial £100 million fee, with a further £16 million in performance-related add-ons. Should these add-ons be met, the transfer would surpass the £115 million Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo in 2023, making Wirtz the most expensive player in British football history. The previous record signing for Liverpool was Darwin Nunez in 2022.
Florian Wirtz is expected to complete his medical and sign his contract with Liverpool next week, following his return from a post-season holiday. Sky Germany and Fabrizio Romano have reported that the transfer is "100 percent agreed" and will be finalized upon his return. Kicker also reports that the transfer package includes easily achievable bonuses, as well as those dependent on sporting success, such as a portion of the fee being paid to Leverkusen if Wirtz wins the Champions League with Liverpool.
The acquisition of Wirtz is a major coup for Liverpool, who faced competition from several top clubs across Europe, including Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid. Sky Germany's Florian Plettenberg suggests that Wirtz chose Liverpool due to the clear plan presented by Arne Slot, who envisions him as the central figure in the team's attack.
Liverpool's spending is expected to exceed £200 million this summer as they reinforce their squad. Following the completion of the Wirtz deal, Liverpool are also expected to finalize the signing of Milos Kerkez from Bournemouth. The club has already secured the services of Jeremie Frimpong and Armin Pecsi.
The arrival of Wirtz raises questions about the future of some existing players at Liverpool. While new contracts for Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk appear to have erased any fears of moving backwards, Kostas Tsimikas is expected to leave after the arrival of Kerkez. There is also uncertainty surrounding the future of Harvey Elliott. Furthermore, Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing a new centre-forward and a central defender, which could lead to the departure of Darwin Nunez and either Jarell Quansah or Joe Gomez. Leverkusen are reportedly interested in Quansah.
Constantin Eckner suggests that a key factor in Wirtz's decision to join Liverpool was the opportunity to eventually replace Mohamed Salah as the team's primary goal provider. The consensus at Anfield is that Wirtz is worth the exorbitant fee due to his consistent performances and potential for further development. Former Liverpool and Germany striker Karl-Heinz Reidle has described Wirtz as "a once-in-a-century talent".
