Liverpool has agreed a transfer deal to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, in what could become a record move for a British club if all of the add-ons are eventually met.
The deal will be worth a guaranteed $136 million (£100 million) with a further $22 million (£16 million) in add-ons after negotiations with the Bundesliga side came to a conclusion. Wirtz is expected to pen a long-term contract at Anfield when he is officially unveiled.
Wirtz is a German international with Champions League experience and will arrive having previously won the Bundesliga. Last season, he finished second in the German top flight under the guidance of Xabi Alonso, who has since moved to Real Madrid, where he will work alongside the former Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was unveiled at the Bernabeu on Thursday.
Wirtz scored 16 goals and assisted another 15 in the season just gone. He was initially expected to move to Bayern Munich and Manchester City was also, at one stage, in the race for his signature, but Arne Slot's side put together the best pitch.
Bayer Leverkusen had initially intended to demand a fee of around $170 million (£126 million) for Wirtz. Liverpool had offered a guaranteed $136 million (£100 million) plus $18 million (£13 million) before a compromise was reached.
Currently, including add-ons, the British transfer record stands at the $145 million (£107 million) that Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez. However, the Stamford Bridge side's deal for Moises Caicedo could reach $156 million (£115 million) including add-ons after the Ecuadorian opted to move to West London instead of Merseyside when he left Brighton in 2023.
Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz.
Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz. (Image: Jorg Schuler/Bayer 04 Leverkusen via Getty Images)
The Caicedo deal would be eclipsed by Liverpool's deal for Wirtz should the German end up costing the full amount. In total, he could cost $158 million (£116 million) — a fee the Reds would be happy to pay, given he would have contributed to major on-field success in that instance.
On Thursday, Bayern Munich sporting director Max Eberl claimed his side couldn't have paid what Liverpool was set to for Wirtz. The reality, however, is that the German side simply missed out in the race.
"If I'm honest, I don't know if we could have paid what Liverpool are apparently paying now," Eberl said, speaking to Sky Germany. "Florian Wirtz is an outstanding player. We could have imagined signing him. But when a door closes, another opens."
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"I think we can find one or two extra weapons this team doesn’t have," Reds head coach Arne Slot said heading into the summer. "Maybe, maybe, by using the transfer market.
"That is what we are trying to achieve. That will make us only stronger. That is what we need because we saw [Manchester] City spending £200m in the [January] transfer window.
"All of them will. Apart from the transfer window, we can also improve certain aspects ourselves."
In addition to Wirtz, Liverpool has already snapped up his Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong. A deal for the Bournemouth and Hungary left-back Milos Kerkez is also being chased.