Liverpool have reportedly agreed a club-record transfer deal worth up to £116 million to sign German attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, marking a major statement of intent ahead of the new season.
British and German media revealed on Friday that the initial fee is £100 million, with performance-related add-ons potentially pushing the total to £127 million (€150 million) — a figure that would make it a British record, surpassing Chelsea’s £115 million outlay for Moises Caicedo in 2023.
Wirtz, 22, was instrumental in Bayer Leverkusen’s historic 2023/24 season, where the club won the Bundesliga and German Cup without losing a match, and narrowly missed a treble after defeat to Atalanta in the Europa League final. His contribution earned him the Bundesliga Player of the Year award.
After a quiet start to the Arne Slot era, Liverpool are now moving decisively in the transfer market. Wirtz joins Jeremie Frimpong, also from Leverkusen, while a deal for Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez is reportedly close to completion.
With 57 goals and 65 assists in 197 games, Wirtz has proven himself both as a playmaker and goalscorer. He typically plays behind the striker but has shown versatility, sometimes featuring in wider roles — a flexibility that will be valuable in Slot’s tactical setup.
Liverpool already boast a potent attacking unit with Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz, Cody Gakpo, Diogo Jota, Darwin Nunez, and Federico Chiesa. The arrival of Wirtz will likely intensify internal competition, possibly leading to the sale of one or two current forwards to balance the squad and finances.
Manchester City were reportedly interested in Wirtz but pulled out due to the high cost.
Now signed, Wirtz becomes the most expensive player in Liverpool’s history, surpassing the deal for Darwin Nunez in 2022, and is expected to be a central figure in the club’s push for domestic and European glory.
