Liverpool ‘have taken the lead’ in the race for Florian Wirtz but Real Madrid have ‘not thrown in the towel’ after Bayern offered the La Liga giants hope of a hijack.
Reports suggest Wirtz looks set to swap Bayer Leverkusen for Liverpool after the Reds made a bid in excess of €100m for the 22-year-old, who’s said to be keen on the move to Anfield.
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed on Wednesday that Leverkusen are “discussing” bonuses and other “details of the deal” as Liverpool look to satisfy their demands.
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Romano said: “So Liverpool are working on the Milos Kerkez deal and then for Florian Wirtz, agreement with the player done, and conversations underway with Bayer Leverkusen.
“After the first proposal, they are discussing the bonuses, they are discussing all the details of this deal, but for sure, they are working hard to get the Florian Wirtz deal done, and it won’t take too long.
“So that’s the message coming from those close to the deal. And my expectation remains for this deal to be completed for Florian Wirtz to Liverpool.”
Manchester City reportedly also had Wirtz as their top target before it was claimed earlier this month that they had withdrawn from the race ‘owing to the soaring costs of any deal’.
That claim was refuted by Bild on Wednesday, with the German outlet claiming for Wirtz ‘it was a decision between City and Liverpool’ and that ‘talks with the coaches were decisive’.
Wirtz was attracted to Liverpool because of ‘Slot’s passion’, and due to the ‘special atmosphere at Anfield’, while he left talks with Guardiola without ‘knowing whether he will fulfil his contract until 2027’, which put paid to their chances of signing him.
‘Wirtz then cancelled City (not vice versa)’, the report adds.
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Bayern Munich were also thought to be in the running for a long time but Bild claim Wirtz was never convinced as unlike City and Liverpool, who have him a ‘clear position description’, in Bavaria ‘the system question was not conclusively clarified’ amid doubts as to how he would fit into the team alongside Jamal Musiala.
Herbert Hainer, president of Bayern, gave an interview with the Munich newspaper Abendzeitung that has led Madrid ‘not to lose hope’ of making a last-gasp attempt to sign Wirtz ahead of Liverpool.
“Max Eberl [Bayern’s sporting director] informed me that Florian Wirtz probably leans towards Liverpool. I can’t predict what will happen to Leverkusen…”, Hainer said.
According to Spanish outlet AS, this statement was ‘a jug of cold water’ for Madrid as while it suggests ‘Liverpool is in an advantaged position’ to sign Wirtz ‘that signing is not completed’.
Madrid ‘does not throw in the towel’ and ‘there may still be a party’ after swooping to hijack Liverpool’s move the playmaker, who made his name under new Los Blancos boss Xabi Alonso in their time at Leverkusen together.