German outlet BILD has revealed when Florian Wirtz will make his Liverpool debut having been reliable throughout this saga.
Florian Wirtz
Image Credits: Getty Images
Liverpool are preparing to make a decisive final bid for Bayer Leverkusen’s star midfielder Florian Wirtz this week, as negotiations for what would be a British transfer record move enter their final phase.
Liverpool’s pursuit of the 22-year-old has encountered significant delays with Fabrizio Romano revealing that bonus structures and the general structure of the deal held up talks.
The Premier League champions had their latest £113 million offer rejected by the German club, but all parties remain confident that a deal can be struck, with Wirtz desperate to complete his move to Anfield and personal terms already agreed between the player and Liverpool.
A tricky twist in Liverpool’s big-money bid for Florian Wirtz involves FIFA’s solidarity payment rules -a little-known but important part of modern football transfers.
Whenever a player moves internationally, 5% of the transfer fee must be shared among the clubs that helped develop them between the ages of 12 and 23.
This rule could mean a major windfall for FC Köln, Wirtz’s boyhood club.
The German midfielder spent a full nine years at Köln’s academy before making his move to Bayer Leverkusen in 2020. Thanks to his long association with Köln, the club is set to receive a significant payout, estimated at around €3.2 million
So, as Liverpool and Leverkusen haggle over the final fee, Köln are watching closely, knowing that their own future could be boosted by a slice of the deal.
Now German outlet BILD, who have been reliable throughout this transfer, have given an intriguing update on Florian Wirtz.
They report that both Bayer Leverkusen and Liverpool breathed a “sigh of relief” as the attacker completed international duty unscathed, and have revealed the roadmap for his transfer to Liverpool including his first day of training and debut:
“His starting programme in Liverpool has already been set,” BILD report.
“The first training session will take place on 7 July.”
“The first pre-season friendly at second-tier Preston North End will take place on 13 July – when Wirtz will make his debut at the Deepdale Stadium.”
“After that, Liverpool will fly on an Asian tour. Two games are planned – against Milan in Hong Kong (26 July) and then in Japan against Yokohama F. Marinos (30 July).”
At just 22 years old, Florian Wirtz has already cemented himself as one of German football’s brightest stars.
For the second year running, his fellow professionals voted him the German Players’ Player of the Season.
With 122 goals and assists in 197 appearances for Leverkusen, Wirtz’s creativity and attacking flair are undeniable – and will go a long way in replacing the creativity lost through Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure.