Liverpool are growing increasingly hopeful that a deal for Florian Wirtz will be finalised soon, despite seeing their second offer for the player fall short of Bayer Leverkusen’s demands, but after a football finance expert revealed the Bundesliga side’s negotiating tactics had been ‘destroyed’ by the player’s agent.
The Reds are not resting on their laurels after winning the Premier League title in Arne Slot’s first season at the helm. Having spent his first year in charge assessing the strengths and weaknesses of the players he inherited from Jurgen Klopp, the Dutchman is now ready to mould a Liverpool squad entirely in his own identity – and will be backed with a huge transfer kitty to bring his vision to reality.
Slot and Co have already brought in Jeremie Frimpong, while an offer for Milos Kerkez is expected to be lodged this week.
However, it is the imminent capture of sublime Leverkusen playmaker Wirtz, in what will be a club-record deal for Liverpool, that has really caught the eye of supporters.
Striking a deal with Leverkusen, though, has not been simple and there currently exists what is understood to be a €19m (£16m, $21.6m) gap in valuations.
And while talks between the two clubs are accelerating at a rapid pace, the Premier League champions have seen their first two bids for the star fall narrowly short of Leverkusen’s demands.
But amid claims on Monday morning that Leverkusen are ready to ask for TWO Liverpool players as part of a lucrative swap, football financial expert Stefan Borson insists it will just be a matter of time before a deal is struck, having explained why the Bundesliga side’s attempts at sparking an auction for his services have very quickly fallen through.
READ MORE 🔴 Liverpool near Florian Wirtz transfer breakthrough as Leverkusen ask for Reds pair as part of swap
“I think the strategy of his agent, who is his father, is to remove any competition and, therefore, your auction has been destroyed if you’re Leverkusen,” Borson told Football Insider.
“Liverpool can say ‘We’ll wait it out, the player wants to come, we’ll pay a good fee, but we’re not paying £125m, or we’ll pay £125m if he wins the Ballon d’Or within the next three years’. Something like that.
“It’s an easy decision for Liverpool because if the player achieves those heights, it also means Liverpool have won everything.
“I would expect probably the deal to be done. I guess Leverkusen’s leverage is that they can say ‘Well, to be honest, unless you’re going to pay the fee, we’ll keep him for another year’.
“But I think that feels like a bit of a bluff because clearly his contract is going to edge down. I don’t know how attractive it would be for Wirtz to stay now.
“If he’s got his mind set on moving, he’s probably quite keen to move as soon as possible.
“I think from where we are now, if you had to bet, you’d say he’ll end up at Liverpool for £100million down plus some add-ons.”
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Florian Wirtz: Plettenberg, Romano provide Liverpool transfer update
Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano is adamant, though, Liverpool will soon have their man and revealed the Reds are ‘optimistic’ that they can get a deal over the line with more negotiations coming this week.
Romano wrote on X: ‘Liverpool remain confident to finalise Florian Wirtz deal as new round of talks has been scheduled this week. Club optimistic to get the agreement sealed with Bayer Leverkusen soon.’
Meanwhile, Florian Plettenberg shared this on X: ‘Not much has changed: the second offer for Florian Wirtz was not accepted in its current form, which is why, as reported, there was still no agreement a few days ago. Negotiations are ongoing.
‘Both teams want a quick agreement, Leverkusen have a different overall package in mind than the one currently being offered by Liverpool.’
Plettenberg also recently posted about the possibility of Liverpool including two stars as part of the package to help bring down their initial outlay.
‘Bayer 04 Leverkusen have the idea to include Harvey Elliott or Jarell Quansah in the deal for Florian Wirtz. There’s no final decision on this yet, but talks are ongoing,’ the Sky Germany journalist stated.
Liverpool latest: Two blockbuster deals to follow Wirtz; Kerkez speaks out
Meanwhile, Slot will not stop at just the signing of Wirtz this summer and will next focus on re-modelling the Reds’ attackwith TWO more huge transfer targets now in their sights, according to reports.
While Jeremie Frimpong on Friday became Liverpool’s first signing of the summer window, he should soon be joined at Anfield by another quality full-back in Milos Kerkez.
Nowthe Hungarian has broken his silence on a possible move to Anfield and lifted the lid on the possible trump card that could help sway the deal in Liverpool’s favour.
Frimpong is poised to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold in the Reds’ side next season, with the Dutchman posting similar assists to the departing 26-year-old.
And while Alexander-Arnold awaits a new chapter in LaLiga, a report has revealed theunbelievable signing-on fee the 26-year-old will receive in moving to the Bernabeu.
How Liverpool took pole position for Florian Wirtz
By Samuel Bannister
May 13: Wirtz’s father and agent holds a meeting with Liverpool in England, in which the club explain how he’d fit into their plans, but the Reds believe at that point he would be more likely to join Bayern Munich.
May 19: Manchester City withdraw from the race to sign Wirtz, leaving Liverpool in a straight battle with Bayern.
May 21: Fabrizio Romano confirms Wirtz is Liverpool’s ‘dream’ target and that they would have no problem meeting the €150m asking price.
May 22: Romano explains that Wirtz is now talking with his family about his next options, while Florian Plettenberg confirms Wirtz has not yet told Bayer Leverkusen his decision either.
May 23: Wirtz confirms to Bayern Munich that he will be moving to Liverpool instead of them and informs Bayer Leverkusen of his decision too after agreeing personal terms with the Reds.
May 26: Liverpool submit their opening bid to Bayer Leverkusen for Wirtz in a package worth more than €100m.
May 27: Leverkusen quickly reject that offer, stressing to Liverpool they won’t sell for less than their €130m valuation.
May 30: Liverpool submit a new €125-130m offer for Wirtz, based on a €100m downpayment with the Reds made up on add-ons and bonuses.
June 2: Clubs still negotiating a deal, and while believed to be close, focus now will surround the breakdown of those add-ons and whether the Reds could include one of their own players to help reduce that outlay.