Transfer news: Florian Wirtz signs for Liverpool for £116 million

By Liam McLaughlan

Liverpool have completed the signing of German international Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a club record fee of £116 million.

The 22-year-old has penned a five-year contract that will keep him at Anfield until 2030, following the successful completion of a medical on Friday.

The deal guarantees £100 million up front, with a further £16 million in performance-based add-ons. 

Should those incentives be met, Wirtz’ signing will break the British transfer record currently held by Chelsea’s £115 million acquisition of Moises Caicedo in 2023.

The fee breaks Liverpool’s previous transfer records of £85 million for Darwin Nunez in 2022 and the £75 million move for Virgil Van Dijk in 2018.

A statement signing from the champions

The Premier League champions reportedly beat Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Real Madrid to Wirtz’ signature in a statement of intent, signalling their desire to push for more major honours next season.

The German was the stand-out performer for Bayer Leverkusen, serving as the creative fulcrum for Xabi Alonso’s side that cruised to its first Bundesliga title and consecutive Champions League qualifications. 

Across 197 appearances, Wirtz has 122 goals and assists, underscoring his status as one of the most prized assets in all of football.

Impressed with the vision set out by Arne Slot and the facilities at Liverpool, particularly the Kirkby training ground, Wirtz chose Merseyside as the next step in his career.

“I’m really excited to have a new adventure in front of me.”

“This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League,” Wirtz said.

“I also spoke with some players who played there, and they told me that it’s perfect for me and every pitch is perfect, you can enjoy every game. I’m really looking forward to playing my first game.”

Wirtz squad number to be revealed

It is still not known what squad number the young German talent will wear for the Merseyside outfit. 

Wirtz famously took to Instagram during the transfer negotiations to dispel rumours that he was demanding the no.10 shirt from Alexis Mac Allister.

Liverpool’s current kit deal with Nike expires on August 1st, and the club is expected to delay any announcements regarding squad numbers until the new partnership with Adidas begins.

Wirtz and fellow signing Jeremie Frimpong, also arriving from Leverkusen, will debut their new squad numbers with the launch of the new kit in August.

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Where will Wirtz fit in Liverpool’s XI?

Due to the size of the transfer fee, Wirtz is expected to be inserted straight into the starting line-up.

While predominantly playing as an attacking midfielder, Wirtz is versatile enough to play on either the left wing or as a central striker.

Slot could opt to relegate Dominik Szoboszlai to the bench and install Wirtz as the Red’s attacking midfielder. 

But Slot’s appreciation for the Hungarian captain is well-acknowledged and his overall contribution to the team would not want to be lost.

With Darwin Nunez likely to depart this summer, Liverpool will be in need of a striking option. 

Wirtz could operate in this more advanced position, deployed as a false-nine, allowing Szoboszlai to keep his place in the team.

Liverpool’s transfer business is just beginning

The Reds do not look to be stopping at the signings of Frimpong and Wirtz.

Liverpool have reportedly agreed a deal for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez at £40 million.

Having already agreed personal terms, the 21-year-old is set for a medical next week. 

The Hungarian will strengthen Liverpool’s left-hand side and provide competition for Andrew Robertson, who has recently drawn interest from Atletico Madrid.

The club are also reportedly eyeing a striker. 

Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak are among the current options, but both deals would command a substantial fee.

Concurrently, Liverpool are managing outgoings as well. 

Jarell Quansah looks set to leave Anfield and is close to a move to Bayer Leverkusen for £35 million. 

Should the deal go through, a replacement would be brought in, with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi among the club’s preferred options.

The addition of Wirtz also seemingly spells the end for Harvey Elliott’s time at Anfield. 

The 22-year-old struggled for game time last season under Slot, and has publicly expressed his frustration, suggesting a move is in the offing for the young Englishman.

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