It seems like it could just be a matter of time before Florian Wirtz becomes a Liverpool player in what would be a major coup for the Premier League champion.
Work is still being done behind the scenes to reach an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen, with two offers having been rejected so far. With Manchester City out of the picture though, and Bayern Munich seemingly having thrown in the towel, the Reds are firmly in the driving seat.
Wirtz himself even seems to have given the game away after hitting back at recent claims suggesting he wanted Alexis Mac Allister’s No.10 shirt at Anfield, with his response all but confirming he’s keen on the move.
It looks highly likely then that he will be joining former Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong on Merseyside in what would be not just a record transfer fee for Liverpool, but for any Premier League side.
There’ll be few complaints over the hefty figure though, with the 22-year-old having established himself as one of the biggest talents in Europe, having inspired Leverkusen to an unbeaten domestic double under Xabi Alonso in the 2023/24 season.
It’s not just the last couple of years that have brought Wirtz to a wider audience though. Even as a teenager, there were clear signs that he was destined for greatness.
Florian Wirtz
Liverpool looks to be getting closer to a deal for Florian Wirtz (Image: Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images)
At the age of 17 years and 15 days, he took Kai Havertz’s record to become Leverkusen’s youngest player to debut in the Bundesliga in May 2020, and he quickly set about making his mark.
He would go on to become the first player to score five Bundesliga goals before his 18th birthday, with his prodigious talent soon being recognized at international level.
Having received his first senior call-up for Germany from Joachim Low, Wirtz would go on to win his first caps under Hansi Flick.
The now-Barcelona boss was never in any doubt as to the talent Wirtz possesses. “Florian is just a huge asset for this team through his carefreeness,” Flick said in September 2021.
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“He’s simply an outstanding technician, loves to play, very creative, has a good shot, runs hard and is quick. He’s got a good total package.”
Flick would go on to talk up Wirtz’s chances of making his squad for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Unfortunately for the youngster, an ACL injury would see him miss the tournament, with Germany seemingly missing him as they were knocked out in the group stages.
He has of course gone on to establish himself as one of his country’s most exciting players, having scored six goals in his 29 international appearances.
Wirtz will be back in action for Germany on Wednesday as it faces Portugal in the Nations League semi-finals, and no doubt there will be plenty of Liverpool fans tuning in to catch a glimpse of their potential new star.