Florian Wirtz will quit Bayer Leverkusen to make a switch to Liverpool. The midfielder has already informed Bavarian giants Bayern Munich that he prefers putting on the Reds shirt a year from now, according to Fabrizio Romano and The Athletic. Leverkusen, aware of the top European clubs' keen interest, won't stand in his way.
Liverpool are willing to spend €150 million, making Wirtz the most expensive signing in the history of the club. More than Van Dijk, more than Núñez, and even greater than most believed the owners of the club were willing to spend.
Path chosen and decision made
Wirtz is 22 but already one of Europe's most sought-after players. He is contracted until 2027 and could easily survive a year in Germany. But he does not want to. He has indicated he is eager to pursue "new challenges" and is reported to have informed the club that he wants out of the country. Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Bayern are still hovering in the shadows, but sources close to the negotiations claim the player has already made his mind up to go to the Premier League and, indeed, to Liverpool.
The Anfield club see more of a promising midfield talent in Wirtz. They see a player who is willing to play a starring role in a rebuilding side that hopes to compete at a top-honors level consistently again. They feel he has the potential to rub shoulders with the top of the league with the likes of Mohamed Salah.
Stats that back the hype
Wirtz shone a year ago: 16 goals and 14 assists in 45 matches. Good numbers for a 22-year-old midfielder in a team that surprised Europe. He was a steady player, aware of the game, rhythm master, and able to win first-rated games.
It is no exaggeration to claim that he was the biggest German soccer star of 2023/24. While his talent could already be seen from his childhood days at Köln, he matured at Leverkusen. It seems he is now at the best time to make a leap to one of the English giants.
Those are the numbers on the deal: a transfer fee of €150 million and a wage of around €20 million a year. That brings Wirtz into the ranks of top players in the Premier League. For a player who has never stepped into a match that wasn't in the Bundesliga, it's a gamble. Liverpool believes that he can bring short-term returns and value in the longer term. The fee, if he signs, will comfortably surpass the current record of the club. Darwin Núñez is the most expensive signing to date, at €85 million in 2022.