Florian Wirtz of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's third goal with teammate Mohamed Salah during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield on January 31, 2026 in Liverpool, England.placeholder image
Florian Wirtz of Liverpool celebrates scoring his team's third goal with teammate Mohamed Salah during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Newcastle United at Anfield on January 31, 2026 in Liverpool, England. | Getty Images
Florian Wirtz has finally found his feet at Liverpool, but would it be the right decision to part ways already?
Liverpool invested heavily in their team last season with Arne Slot building an entirely new forward line.
The hope was that Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz would lead the line supported by the arrival of Florian Wirtz for £115m from Bayer Leverkusen. The Germay international took his time to adapt, but he is now posting the sort of numbers that justify the outlay.
Real Madrid and Liverpool swap deal to shock football
Wirtz wasn’t the only one who struggled as Slot tinkered with his shape and personnel trying to find the right blend, however, with reports suggesting that Real Madrid harbour an interest in the 22-year old, Liverpool could strengthen their starting XI and improve the balance of a team that has sometimes looked out of sorts.
In what would be a headline making deal, Liverpool have been linked with Jude Bellingham this season in what almost feels like a precursor to an obvious swap deal. Wirtz is a class act, but losing a winger to play him on the left is counter-productive and takes a potential goalscorer out of the team. Play Wirtz centrally and the midfield doesn’t look as robust.
Swap Wirtz for Bellingham and the no.10 or attacking midfield role would be sorted. There would be a consistent goal threat from midfield without losing any physicality and it would allow Slot to focus on recruiting a new winger who is capable of adding goals and assists. Losing Wirtz would be a blow, but gaining Bellingham would soften it considerably.
Why is Wirtz being linked to Real Madrid
The cause of the speculation has come from Wirtz’s agent who has claimed that he was trying his hardest to get his client a move to La Liga: "During the period when a move to Liverpool or Bayern was being discussed, I called Xabi Alonso and told him: 'You have to take the lad from Leverkusen with you to Real,'" Struth told Phrasenmaher.
Xabi replied, 'You don't have to tell me that, you have to tell (Real president) Florentino Perez'. So I actually sent him a message. ’Dear Florentino, I've told you many times before: I have a player here whom I would highly recommend. Florian Wirtz makes every team in the world better.’ That year, it simply wasn't the right time due to the squad and the budget. Even Real Madrid's coffers aren't always overflowing. But my wish remains that Florian will play there one day."
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