Liverpool in contact with Bayer Leverkusen over record Florian Wirtz transfer

Any transfer for Wirtz could involve breaking Liverpool’s transfer record

Liverpool have made initial contact with Bayer Leverkusen about a potential deal for Florian Wirtz.

Bayern Munich have also been interested in the Germany playmaker but there are suggestions in Germany that they are less likely to buy the 22-year-old, with Liverpool emerging as a possible destination.

They are already set to sign his Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong, who has had a medical as Liverpool prepare to trigger his €35m release clause.

Florian Wirtz could command a fee of over £120m (Getty Images)

And they could make a double swoop on the 2024 Bundesliga champions, though any transfer for Wirtz could involve breaking Liverpool’s transfer record.

Leverkusen reportedly want £126m for Wirtz, who was named the Bundesliga Player of the Year last season.

Liverpool’s current record fee is the £75m paid for Virgil van Dijk, while Darwin Nunez cost £64m, which could rise to £85m with add-ons. Liverpool bid £111m for Moises Caicedo in 2023, before he moved to Chelsea for a British record £115m.

The versatile Wirtz has had tallies in double figures of both goals and assists in each of the last two Bundesliga seasons for Leverkusen, scoring 18 and 16 in all competitions.

He has often operated as a No 10 for manager Xabi Alonso but can also operate off the left or as a false nine.

Wirtz, who was the youngest scorer in Bundesliga history when he got his first Leverkusen goal at 17, has scored six goals in 29 caps for Germany.

Liverpool made a transfer-market profit last summer, when their only signings were Federico Chiesa and Giorgi Mamardashvili, but they are expected to be busier and spend more this year as they try to strengthen the squad that has won the Premier League.