Beating City, PSR and the No 10 role: Inside Liverpool’s record transfer for Florian Wirtz

The 22-year-old signed for Liverpool for an initial £100m, which could rise to £116m

German superstar Florian Wirtz joins Liverpool in a deal that could see him become the most expensive player ever signed by a Premier League club.

The 22-year-old, who has become one of the most coveted players in world football during his time at Bayer Leverkusen, was a target for Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich, though Arne Slot’s side quickly moved to the front of the race for his signature.

Leverkusen had wanted €150m, or £126m, and previously rejected two bids from the Premier League champions. But Liverpool agreed to sign Wirtz for an initial £100m, potentially rising to £116m with add ons, making him their club-record signing.

Wirtz, who was an integral part of Leverkusen’s undefeated run to a Bundesliga title in 2023/24, has scored 57 goals in 197 games for the club, as well as seven goals in 31 appearances for his national side.

But why has the German picked Liverpool as his next club?

Why Liverpool won the race for Florian Wirtz

Wirtz was an integral part of Leverkusen's Bundesliga win in 2023/24 (Getty)

Manchester City were briefly seen as the favourites to sign Wirtz, but it quickly transpired that the German wanted to move to Anfield. He was persuaded by Liverpool’s vision for him and rejected more lucrative offers because of his desire to move to Anfield.

City were quick to rule out signing the German too, stating that the deal was too expensive to proceed with, and the club later signed French playmaker Rayan Cherki for around £30m.

As for Bayern, the club were long said to be Wirtz’s top choice for a move, though Liverpool quickly overtook them as favourites.

Several factors will have played a part in this change, with reports suggesting that Leverkusen were reluctant to sell to a domestic rival, though there were also doubts in Munich about the fee involved.

"If I'm honest, I don't know if we could have paid what Liverpool are apparently paying now," said Max Eberl, Bayern’s director of sport.

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And while fees and inner workings will have been important, there is of course the simple draw of joining a historic club in Liverpool, with a side who have just won the Premier League at a canter and the club well-positioned to continue their recent success.

How can Liverpool afford Wirtz?

Liverpool have already signed Wirtz’s former teammate Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen in a deal worth just under £30m (Getty)

Liverpool previously announced a deal worth almost £30m to sign Wirtz’s Leverkusen teammate Jeremie Frimpong, so a deal for the German could take their spending to around £150m this summer.

They are also interested in left-back Milos Kerkez, with Bournemouth valuing the Hungary international at £45m.

How can they afford such spending? Well for a start, the Reds spent almost nothing (in relative terms) last summer, with the £12.5m signing of Federico Chiesa the only fee they paid all window.

In addition, the club have been helped by their revenues and player sale profits, including prize money for winning the league and taking part in the Champions League, as well as a new kit deal with Adidas.

This summer, sales could yet provide even more room for more signings. Wirtz’s arrival could lead to Harvey Elliott leaving with Liverpool, who have a self-sustaining model, conscious that sales can help them afford to buy.

How will Wirtz fit in at Liverpool?

Liverpool have broken their club record to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz (PA)

One of Wirtz’s most coveted qualities is his versatility, which has seen him feature all across the forward line for his club and country.

The 22-year-old is best on the left or in central areas, which will have contributed to Liverpool’s interest (with the presence of Mohamed Salah meaning the right-wing spot is locked down for the foreseeable future).

For Leverkusen, he has featured most frequently in a left attacking midfield role, often tasked with spotting gaps and unlocking opposition defences.

His 13 Bundesliga assists last season show he has the eye for a key pass, though he has also displayed dribbling ability of a level that is rare in attacking midfielders, with both assets contributing to another exciting dimension in the Liverpool attack – and one that may be needed as they continue to face low blocks next season.

And Wirtz’s work rate – something that set Liverpool’s players apart last season – is admirable too. He was in the top 10 for duels won and interceptions in the Bundesliga in 2023/24, with an average distance covered of 7.6 miles (12.3km) and 33 sprints per match putting him in the top five for those metrics too.

It is unclear how he will slot into a title-winning Liverpool side, as he is not a “left-winger” so to speak, and with Dominik Szoboszlai’s importance to the team in central roles, it may be that we are seeing a tactical evolution of sorts from Arne Slot.

In any case, it is a welcome puzzle for the Dutchman to solve come next season.

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