Merseyside | Liverpool agree deal for Florian Wirtz

Another playing moving from Leverkusen to Liverpool?

The Anfield club are looking to sign new players from a position of strength

Author | William G

Liverpool have agreed a deal worth up to £116m with Bayer Leverkusen for the signing of Germany midfielder Florian Wirtz, as the Premier League champions continue their ambitious summer overhaul.

The 22-year-old will become the most expensive signing in Liverpool’s history. The agreement includes an initial £100m fee, with a further £16m in performance-related add-ons. Those bonuses would only be paid if the club achieve a sustained level of success, and would make Wirtz the most expensive player in British football history.

The current record for an upfront fee remains Chelsea’s £107m move for Enzo Fernández from Benfica in 2023. The London club also signed Moisés Caicedo from Brighton for an initial £100m, a deal that could eventually rise to £115m.

Liverpool managed to negotiate a fee below Leverkusen’s £126m valuation, with Wirtz understood to have prioritised a move to Anfield. Manchester City had shown interest earlier in the process but stepped away due to the overall cost. Bayern Munich were also linked but did not make a formal approach.

Wirtz made his senior debut for Leverkusen at the age of 17 and has gone on to score 57 goals in 197 appearances. He played a key role in helping the club win their first Bundesliga title in 2024. At international level, he has scored seven goals in 31 appearances for Germany since making his debut in 2021.

His arrival follows Liverpool’s signing of right-back Jeremie Frimpong, also from Leverkusen, in a £34m deal earlier this summer.

Busy summer continues at Anfield

Liverpool are not finished in the market. The club are holding talks with Bournemouth over a move for left-back Milos Kerkez, with a deal likely to cost between £45m and £50m.

Having claimed the 2024–25 Premier League title in Arne Slot’s first season in charge, Liverpool have looked to capitalise on their momentum. Their ability to spend significantly this summer is thought to be partly due to a more conservative approach in previous transfer windows.

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Last summer, the club made only two signings: Federico Chiesa arrived from Juventus for £12.5m, while Georgia international goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was signed from Valencia in a £29m deal and will join ahead of the upcoming season.

The summer has also seen movement in the opposite direction. Goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher has joined Brentford for an initial £12.5m, with the potential for that to rise to £18m. Liverpool are prepared to listen to offers for several players in order to rebalance their finances.

Darwin Núñez, who joined from Benfica in 2022, is attracting interest from Saudi Arabia and clubs in mainland Europe. Centre-backs Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez may also be made available.

The club have already lost England international Trent Alexander-Arnold, who completed a high-profile move to Real Madrid.

With Wirtz on the way and further signings expected, Liverpool appear determined to build on their domestic success and mount a serious challenge in Europe next season.