Florian Wirtz has spoken for the first time as a Liverpool player after his $157 million (£116 million) move from Bayer Leverkusen was confirmed.
Liverpool held extensive negotiations with the Bundesliga side before agreeing to pay what could become a British record transfer fee. The deal has comfortably exceeded the Reds' previous record signing, which was Darwin Nunez.
Making the move at 22, Wirtz was sold on the Liverpool project and turned down a move to Bayern Munich. Manchester City was also interested at one stage, while some at Real Madrid are admirers too — not least Xabi Alonso.
“I feel very happy and very proud," Wirtz told the club website. "Finally, it’s done and I was waiting for a long time – finally it’s done and I am really happy.
“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.
Florian Wirtz signs for Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen
Florian Wirtz signs for Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen (Image: Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
“I will see how I can perform there. I hope I can do my best. I spoke also 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.”
A member of the Leverkusen side who won the Bundesliga and the German Cup during the 2023-24 season, Wirtz scored 10 goals and 12 assists in the league last term.
The 22-year-old is also not the only player to have joined Liverpool from the German side this summer, with the Reds having also bolstered their ranks with the addition of Jeremie Frimpong as Trent Alexander-Arnold's replacement.
Milos Kerkez looks set to join Liverpool this summer
Milos Kerkez looks set to join Liverpool this summer (Image: Getty Images)
It has also now been confirmed Liverpool has agreed a deal with Bournemouth for left-back Andy Robertson. The 21-year-old is set to undergo a medical in the coming days after the two sides agreed to terms on a deal worth around $54 million (£40m).
Additionally, a move for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi has also been mooted, a deal which would make sense for Liverpool given they look set to let Jarell Quansah leave, with the 22-year-old set to head in the opposite direction to Wirtz and Frimpong and join Leverkusen.