Liverpool’s pursuit of Florian Wirtz continues to raise eyebrows as the reigning Premier League champions edge closer to completing what could become the most expensive transfer in English soccer history. Not because the Reds are exempt from reinforcing their squad ahead of next season’s league defense and Champions League campaign, but because they weren’t considered frontrunners in the race for the talented German, nor are they known for lavish spending in recent years.
Just a summer after spending €12 million on Federico Chiesa following Martín Zubimendi’s refusal to leave Real Sociedad, and €30 million on Giorgi Mamardashvili (currently on loan at Valencia and expected to join for 2025-2026), Liverpool are reportedly ready to spend €150 million to secure Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.
Beyond the enormous transfer fee, what stands out is how Liverpool outmaneuvered major rivals like Bayern Munich and Manchester City. The Bavarians reportedly made an initial push with a €100 million bid, while City saw Wirtz as their ideal Kevin De Bruyne successor. However, a pivotal conversation with new Liverpool manager Arne Slot, held during a meeting in Blackpool with Wirtz’s camp, seems to have tipped the scales. According to Kicker, that chat was decisive in convincing the player to join the Anfield club.
British media reported that formal negotiations between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen have accelerated, with Fabrizio Romano confirming Wirtz has already communicated his desire to move to Merseyside: “I want to go to Liverpool.” Even Herbert Hainer, president of Bayern Munich, acknowledged the shift, stating: “Max Eberl told me Florian Wirtz is leaning toward Liverpool. I don’t know what will happen with Leverkusen.”
Liverpool now appear on the verge of landing one of the most coveted young players in world football—a name previously linked to Real Madrid and Barcelona—despite not starting as favorites. Michael Edwards, Richard Hughes, and Liverpool’s recruitment team will still need to dig deep to finalize the deal, as Wirtz is under contract until 2027.
The financial package is staggering: €150 million transfer fee and a proposed €20 million annual salary, placing Wirtz among the highest-paid players in the Premier League. Should the deal go through, it would eclipse the current Premier League record transfer held by Moisés Caicedo’s €133 million move to Chelsea.
Liverpool’s own record remains the €85 million paid for Darwin Núñez in 2022. While they’ve made notable investments—like €70 million for Dominik Szoboszlai—they’ve rarely gone to these lengths. Still, past deals for Virgil van Dijk (€85M) and Alisson (€62M) proved worth every penny. If Wirtz follows that path, he could be the club’s next icon.
