Liverpool have not yet reached an agreement to sign Florian Wirtz after two weeks of negotiations as they look to bolster their squad ahead of the new season
07:56, 09 Jun 2025Updated 07:58, 09 Jun 2025
Florian Wirtz looks like he will join the Premier League champions and England's most successful club Liverpool
Florian Wirtz looks like he will join the Premier League champions and England's most successful club Liverpool(Image: Marvin Ibo Guengoer - GES Sportfoto/Getty Images)
Liverpool's summer transfer activity is picking up speed, with the Reds confirming their second acquisition on Saturday.
That came in the form of Puskas Akademia's goalkeeper Armin Pecsi, signed for £1.5m and marking a record-breaking sale for the Hungarian team. Now, the Premier League champions are shifting their full focus back to top targets Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen and Pecsi's countryman, Bournemouth star Milos Kerkez.
Liverpool bosses are finding it tough to settle on a price with Leverkusen for Wirtz, as the Bundesliga club are holding out for a whopping £126.4million for the golden boy of German football. The attacking midfielder is eager to make the switch to Merseyside and Leverkusen are prepared to let him go rather than risk him entering the final year of his contract next summer.
A deal is anticipated to be struck, although a new hurdle has cropped up in the talks. All these developments point towards a much busier summer window than last year, when Liverpool only brought in one senior player. Here's all the latest Reds transfer updates.
Leverkusen turn down Wirtz offer
Bayer Leverkusen have knocked back Liverpool's most recent bid for Florian Wirtz. The Reds tabled an enhanced £113million proposal for the forward on Friday, with £100m of that sum guaranteed.
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However, The Times reports Leverkusen have knocked back that offer as they hold out for a more lucrative deal. Talks are ongoing and it's still widely anticipated the 22-year-old will make his way to Anfield.
Leverkusen are banking on another bid from the Premier League behemoths being 'on the cards', with the player himself eager to make the move.
The Bundesliga team have slapped a whopping £126.4m price tag on him, but Liverpool are 'hesitant' to go that high, reports the Mirror.
Heitinga eyes Reds raid
Arne Slot with Johnny Heitinga during a Liverpool training session
Arne Slot with Johnny Heitinga during a Liverpool training session(Image: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)
Ex-Liverpool assistant manager Johnny Heitinga is poised to swoop in on the Reds for a new shot-stopper. Former Everton star Heitinga was a key part of Arne Slot's set-up last season before taking up the reins as Ajax manager earlier this summer.
Voetbal International reports Heitinga has set his sights on Reds goalie Vitezslav Jaros. Ajax are looking to acquire the 23-year-old on loan for the upcoming season, though discussions are still underway about the specifics of the deal.
Lille have also tabled an offer, but Ajax are prepared to promise the Czech ace regular first-team action. The Dutch side have several other options, but it seems Jaros is now their prime target.
Gakpo dismisses exit rumours
Cody Gakpo celebrates winning the Premier League with Liverpool
Cody Gakpo celebrates winning the Premier League with Liverpool(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Cody Gakpo has made it clear he has no plans to leave Liverpool after rumours linked him with a switch to Bayern Munich. The 26-year-old left winger shone as the Reds clinched the Premier League title, netting 10 goals and becoming a crucial player for Arne Slot.
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Despite being a key player for Slot and with three years left on his contract, Gakpo is rumoured to be on Bayern's radar for a sensational transfer.
The Bundesliga heavyweights are on the hunt for fresh wing talent following Leroy Sane's departure, but Gakpo has quashed any talk of him leaving. And the Bundesliga giants are of course smarting after being snubbed by Wirtz in favour of Liverpool.
"I haven't heard anything about it myself. I'm closing myself off from it," he declared while with the Dutch national team. "Maybe my agent has heard something, but I'm focusing on myself."