Liverpool are today closing on an agreement for the transfer of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal likely to be worth around €130M with add-ons, with personal terms on a five-year contract agreed with the talented attacker.
That’s the latest on the not-very-long-running transfer saga that began around two weeks ago now when rumours emerged suggesting the 22-year-old superstar rated by many as Germany’s best attacking player was on Merseyside to visit the club.
Before then, the belief going back at least two years had been that the player was certain to join Bayern Munich, with Manchester City and Real Madrid rumoured to be keeping a close eye on Wirtz in case there was an opening to sign him.
If Liverpool were occasionally mentioned as a possibility, it was only ever as the longest of long shots. Right up until they were favourites. Now, according to multiple reliable reports, a deal is close, with only minor details left to negotiate.
Broadly, though, there is said to be agreement. Leverkusen appear content with a fee of €130M (£109M), with approximately €100M guaranteed. The two sides are now negotiating the specifics of the add-ons to reach that top line figure.
When the mega-deal goes though, with add-ons it will almost certainly eclipse the £107M that Chelsea paid to sign Enzo Fernández from Benfica in January of 2023 and become the new record transfer fee paid by a Premier League club.