Liverpool Finalizes £116 Million Transfer Deal for Florian Wirtz

June 13, 2025
Liverpool Finalizes £116 Million Transfer Deal for Florian Wirtz

Liverpool Football Club has confirmed a groundbreaking agreement to acquire German international Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a total fee of £116 million, which includes a guaranteed £100 million plus an additional £16 million in potential add-ons. This monumental deal, finalized on June 13, 2025, marks a significant moment in English football, establishing Wirtz as the most expensive British transfer in history, surpassing Chelsea's £115 million acquisition of Moises Caicedo.

Richard Hughes, Liverpool's sporting director, led the negotiations that spanned several weeks. Despite Bayer Leverkusen's initial demands of €150 million (£127.6 million) for the 22-year-old playmaker, Liverpool managed to reach a consensus. Importantly, Wirtz expressed a clear preference for Liverpool, despite interest from top clubs including Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Real Madrid. He is expected to undergo a medical examination in the coming days and finalize the transfer when the transfer window reopens.

The addition of Wirtz comes at a time when Liverpool is eager to enhance their squad under head coach Arne Slot, who successfully guided the team to a record-equalling 20th league title in the previous season. The club's strategy has focused on prudent spending in recent transfer windows, which has enabled this significant investment. The prior record transfer for Liverpool was the £85 million deal for Darwin Núñez from Benfica in June 2022. Liverpool anticipates recouping a portion of the Wirtz fee through potential outgoing transfers, particularly with Núñez attracting interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League and Europe.

Liverpool's decision to invest heavily in Wirtz is consistent with their historical approach to sign top-tier talent, reminiscent of their record signings for Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk. The club views Wirtz not only as a world-class talent but also as a transformative figure for the team's attacking dynamics. Wirtz's ability to operate across the front line further enhances his value to the squad.

The competitive landscape for Wirtz included Manchester City, who ultimately opted out of negotiations citing the overall costs associated with the transfer. Reports from Germany suggest that Wirtz remained unconvinced about a move to City, particularly due to uncertainties surrounding the future of their manager, Pep Guardiola.

In addition to the Wirtz transfer, Liverpool is actively pursuing other signings to bolster their squad. Hughes is in discussions with Bournemouth regarding the acquisition of left-back Milos Kerkez, valued at £45 million. The club has previously secured Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen for £29.5 million and is finalizing a deal for goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili from Valencia.

Furthermore, Liverpool is experiencing a reshuffle in their coaching staff, with Giovanni van Bronckhorst expected to join as an assistant to Slot, filling the vacancy left by John Heitinga, who recently became Ajax's head coach.

This transfer marks a pivotal moment for Liverpool as they continue to strengthen their squad ahead of the new season, with high expectations for their investment in Wirtz to pay dividends on the pitch.

Advertisement

Fake Ad Placeholder (Ad slot: YYYYYYYYYY)

Tags

Liverpool FCFlorian WirtzBayer LeverkusenPremier Leaguefootball transfersArne SlotRichard HughesBundesligaMoises CaicedoDarwin NúñezManchester CityBayern MunichReal MadridEuropean footballfootball economicstransfer windowfootball coaching staffGiovanni van BronckhorstMilos KerkezJeremie FrimpongGiorgi MamardashviliSaudi Pro Leaguefootball strategyplayer acquisitionsEnglish football records2025 football seasonfootball investmentLiverpool transferstransfer negotiationsfootball talent

Advertisement

Fake Ad Placeholder (Ad slot: ZZZZZZZZZZ)