Florian Wirtz will become Liverpool's record transfer and Germany's most costly export
Florian Wirtz will become Liverpool's record transfer and Germany's most costly export
Liverpool have made a strong start to the summer transfer window and are now working on a big-money deal to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.
Wirtz registered 10 goals and 13 assists in 31 Bundesliga appearances in 2024/25 and is widely regarded as one of the most talented young players in Europe.
“You can see the ability every time he gets on the ball,” teammate Nathan Tella told Sky Sports. “He’s one of those players in between the lines, he can dribble, he can create passes, he can score.
“For me as a forward he’s great to play with. I’m happy that I’ve been able to play with him and I hope I can continue to still play with him.”
Despite reported interest from Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Manchester City, the 22-year-old midfielder is said to have already agreed personal terms on a move to Anfield, with a five-year deal in the offing.
Liverpool have seen two bids rejected by Leverkusen and the latest was worth a reported €130million (£109m / $148m).
The Bundesliga side are understood to be holding out for a fee of €150million (£126m / $171m) and if the Reds meet their asking price, they will shatter numerous transfer records.
We’ve taken a detailed look at the records Liverpool and Wirtz would break should the move go through….
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Most expensive Liverpool signing
If completed as expected, Wirtz’s move to Liverpool will see him usurp Darwin Nunez as the most expensive signing in the club’s history.
Nunez had established himself as one of the best young strikers in the world after netting 34 goals in 41 appearances for Benfica in the 2021/22 season.
Liverpool agreed to pay the Portuguese side an initial £64million and another £21.4million in add-ons, taking the overall package to £85.4million.
But the Uruguay international has struggled to justify that price tag, scoring 40 goals and registering 26 assists in 143 appearances for the Reds.
He has played a bit-part role under Arne Slot and Liverpool are reportedly looking to recoup some of their money by selling him to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez
Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez
Most expensive Premier League signing
Ahead of Wirtz’s impending move to Liverpool, the £100million barrier has only been broken four times in the Premier League.
Manchester City forked out £100million for Jack Grealish, Declan Rice joined Arsenal for £100million plus £5million in add-ons and Enzo Fernandez cost Chelsea £106.8million.
Moises Caicedo joined Fernandez at Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2023 in a deal worth an initial £100million and another £15million in add-ons, making him the most expensive signing in Premier League history.
Liverpool were also willing to break the transfer record for the midfielder and they agreed a £111million deal with Brighton & Hove Albion, but he turned down the club in favour of Chelsea.
The Ecuador international endured a slow start to life at Stamford Bridge in his debut season but has since rediscovered his best form.
He won Chelsea’s Player of the Season award as well as the Players’ Player of the Season award at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.
“At the beginning, I felt the pressure,” Caicedo said when asked about the transfer fee. “In my mind, I wanted to show my best football and why the club paid the money for me.
“After that, I started to speak with people who helped me understand that if Chelsea signed me it’s because I am worth it. I have kept on playing and I know I have to show my best on the pitch.”
Most expensive Bayer Leverkusen sale
After helping fill the void left by Kai Havertz’s departure, Wirtz will now replace his international teammate as the most expensive sale in Bayer Leverkusen’s history.
Havertz came through their academy and made his Bundesliga debut in October 2016 at the age of 17 years and 126 days.
The Germany international went from strength to strength at the BayArena, registering 36 goals and 25 assists in 118 appearances in all competitions.
His form attracted interest from some of the biggest clubs in Europe and Chelsea won the race for his signature in the summer of 2020.
Bayer Leverkusen were initially looking to sell for £72million, plus add-ons totalling another £20million, but Chelsea managed to drive the price down.
They ultimately agreed to pay the Bundesliga side an initial £62million and another £9million in add-ons, taking the overall fee to £71million.
Havertz went on to score the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final, but he struggled to find consistency at Stamford Bridge and was sold to Arsenal in 2023.
At Leverkusen, Wirtz became a first-team regular following Havertz’s departure and helped the club win their first Bundesliga title in the 2023/24 season.
“The sale of Kai Havertz,” Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes said in 2024 when asked how they had become successful. “The income allowed us to sign many young players around Florian Wirtz, who have grown.”
Kai Havertz playing for Chelsea
Kai Havertz playing for Chelsea
Most expensive German player
Alongside his title as the most expensive Bayer Leverkusen sale, Havertz will also lose his title as the most expensive German player of all time.
Wirtz – who was born in the Cologne suburb of Pulheim – made his senior international debut against Liechtenstein in September 2021 and now has 29 caps to his name.
Overall ranking
Neymar still holds the world record for a football transfer fee following his £198million move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017.
Kylian Mbappe arrived at the Parc des Princes in the same summer in a loan deal, which was later made permanent for an initial £133million and another £33million in add-ons.
Former Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho is in third place as Barcelona paid the Reds an initial £106.5million and another £35.5million in add-ons in January 2018.
Coutinho linked up with Ousmane Dembele, who joined Barcelona from Borussia Dortmund a few months earlier in a deal worth an initial £96.8million and another £38.7million in add-ons. He’s since shown at PSG what an outrageously good player he is!
Chelsea sold Eden Hazard to Real Madrid in the summer of 2019 for a £130million package, which included an upfront fee of £88.5million.
Caicedo and Jude Bellingham (£115m) are currently the joint-sixth most expensive footballers of all time but they will soon be usurped by Wirtz.