Liverpool have reportedly seen their opening two bids for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz rejected, and may be forced to offer the Bundesliga club a player in return
19:54, 01 Jun 2025Updated 19:56, 01 Jun 2025
HERZOGENAURACH, GERMANY - JUNE 01: Florian Wirtz of Germany trains during a Germany Training Session on June 01, 2025 in Herzogenaurach, Germany. (Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
Liverpool have reportedly seen two bids rejected for Florian Wirtz(Image: undefined via Getty Images)
Liverpool's pursuit of Florian Wirtz has taken a knock with Bayer Leverkusen rejecting two initial bids from the Merseyside club.
The Reds have identified Wirtz as a priority target for the transfer window and to secure the German prodigy, Liverpool will have to shatter their transfer record, but they're yet to agree on a fee with his Bundesliga outfit. After two rounds of negotiations, there hasn't been a breakthrough.
Their first bid was £84million plus an extra £12.6m in add-ons. Liverpool increased their second offer to a £109.6m package, only to be knocked back again, according to Kicker.
Leverkusen are holding out for £126m before even considering parting with their star midfielder. Club chief Fernando Carro previously stated they "would never let Wirtz leave" unless their valuation is met.
Harvey Elliott and Jarrell Quansah could be potential makeweights in the deal, with both players reportedly admired by the German side. The gap between Liverpool's offer and Leverkusen's demands might be bridged by including either the former Fulham talent or the homegrown defender.
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND - MAY 19: (SUN OUT, SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Harvey Elliott of Liverpool gestures during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion FC and Liverpool FC at Amex Stadium on May 19, 2025 in Brighton, England. (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)
Harvey Elliott could be included in the deal(Image: undefined via Getty Images)
Elliott, who has found playing time hard to come by under Arne Slot, could see his opportunities decline further if Wirtz joins, possibly prompting him to look elsewhere. Additionally, Wirtz's arrival could also impact Dominik Szoboszlai's game time.
Leverkusen's managing director Simon Rolfes weighed in on the transfer situation, stating: "It's currently an open subject with Florian. There is concrete interest from Liverpool, but there's no more to say right now. Florian is our player."
Liverpool have completed a swoop for Leverkusen right-back Jeremie Frimpong this summer, signing the Dutch defender for £30m to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold after triggering his release clause at the BayArena.
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Erik ten Hag has been appointed as Leverkusen's new manager following the exit of Xabi Alonso, but refused to speak on potential exits this summer.
Leverkusen have also lost stalwart defender Jonathan Tah, who has moved to Bayern Munich following the expiry of his contract.