Florian Wirtz's proposed move to Liverpool could be delayed due to a legal battle over a controversial episode in the golden boy of German football's young career
14:49, 06 Jun 2025
Florian Wirtz could become the most expensive signing in British football history
Florian Wirtz could become the most expensive signing in British football history(Image: Getty Images)
Florian Wirtz's possible record-shattering transfer to Premier League champions Liverpool could hit snags due to legal issues.
FC Koln chief Werner Wolf has vowed to explore every possible legal procedure to secure a slice of the pie they believe they're due, if the 22-year-old Bundesliga sensation joins England's most successful club. The young midfield sensation could soon be at the heart of an historic club and potentially British transfer record, with his present squad Bayer Leverkusen batting away a whopping £109m offer and setting sights on an even heftier £126m jackpot.
Pulling off this figure would be a gigantic leap from the mere €300k (£252k) that BILD insinuates Leverkusen forked over to Koln in a controversial January 2020 exchange that rocked German football. Leverkusen, Koln, and Borussia Monchengladbach are rumoured to honour a longstanding 'gentleman's agreement' since 2001.
It aims to deter snatching each other’s up-and-coming prospects - a pact that was tested to its limits when Leverkusen snapped up Wirtz. The player himself told Sports Illustrated: "When I moved from Cologne to Leverkusen, I did not think for a single second about my salary, but only about what is best for my career."
Now the wrangle over Leverkusen's star Wirtz looks set to blow up into a 'million-dollar dispute', with Liverpool's looming deal sparking a scramble for cash, reports the Express.
Florian Wirtz is the golden boy of German football
Florian Wirtz is the golden boy of German football(Image: Getty Images)
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"Of course, we are looking into it. We know what we are entitled to and will fight for it," Koln's president Wolf stated on Radio Cologne. "We're looking at this with both eyes.
"We'll benefit from it. The higher the sum Liverpool is willing to pay, the better for us."
Under FIFA rules, clubs that play a part in nurturing a player from the age of 12 to 23 get a cut of the transfer fee, a snazzy 5% as 'training compensation'.
Koln are squaring up to fight for their share, considering Wirtz was part of their setup since he was seven until he hit 16.
If Leverkusen bag themselves a jaw-dropping £126m windfall from Liverpool, Koln could pocket roughly £6.3m – not pennies by any means for the Bundesliga club.
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Koln's top brass are ready to tussle with the FIFA Clearing House to secure their fair share following Wirtz's anticipated blockbuster move to Anfield.
The argument hinges on whether the young gun's 'training' actually capped off before hitting 23, given he debuted for Leverkusen not long after turning 17 and donned the German national kit aged 18 and four months.
It's on Koln now to set the date to state their case, with sports legal expert Dr Gregor Reiter weighing in. He said: "I consider 1. FC Koln's approach to be entirely justifiable."