Liverpool are looking to seal a deal for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz with the Bundesliga club wanting close to £125million
Florian Wirtz of Germany trains during a Germany training session
Liverpool continue to be linked with a move for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz
(Image: Getty Images)
Liverpool have been handed a possible transfer theory over their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz. The Reds' initial bid for the Bundesliga Player of the Year has been knocked back by Leverkusen.
Liverpool had hoped to wrap up a deal quickly, but talks between sporting director Richard Hughes and his Leverkusen counterparts Simon Rolfes and Fernando Carro are ongoing. It is understood that the Bundesliga club want close to £125million.
The Reds are eager to avoid a protracted transfer saga as they aim to secure their targets swiftly before pre-season begins, having already activated Jeremie Frimpong's £29.5m release clause on the same day Trent Alexander-Arnold completed a £10m move to Real Madrid.
And former Manchester City financial advisor Stefan Borson has shared his view on Liverpool's interest in Wirtz.
“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," he 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 £125million, 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.”