Liverpool Increase Bid for Florian Wirtz Amid Player-Swap Talks
Liverpool have reached personal terms with Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, who has chosen to join the Reds over Bayern Munich. He’s reportedly been promised the iconic No. 10 role at Anfield. The clubs are now working to finalize the transfer fee.
Liverpool’s initial bid exceeded €100 million, but Leverkusen are holding out for around €150 million. Unsurprisingly, the first offer was rejected. Top football journalists Fabrizio Romano and David Ornstein later reported that Liverpool upped their offer to €130 million.
Despite this increase, the fee still falls short of Leverkusen’s valuation. However, sources agree that negotiations have been progressing positively, and a deal appears likely soon.
Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg revealed that Liverpool and Leverkusen have discussed including a player in the deal. As of May 24, Plettenberg stated there’s consideration of a package involving both cash and a Liverpool player.
In his latest update, Plettenberg confirmed that Liverpool submitted a fresh offer in the €125–130 million range, but no full agreement has been reached yet. Talks are ongoing, and both clubs aim to finalize the transfer within days.
The idea of a Liverpool player being part of the deal remains on the table, though it’s unclear whether this would be in addition to the €130 million or reduce the cash component.
Leverkusen are in the market for several positions: goalkeeper, central defender, attacking midfielder (to replace Wirtz), and striker. They’re currently in talks with Brentford for goalkeeper Mark Flekken, making Liverpool’s Caoimhin Kelleher an unlikely inclusion.
Potential candidates to be included in the deal are Jarell Quansah (center-back) or Harvey Elliott (attacking midfielder), with the latter possibly being edged out if Wirtz joins. Darwin Núñez is also expected to leave, but Liverpool hope to secure a lucrative sale to a Saudi club, making him an unlikely swap option.
In summary, if Leverkusen remain firm on their €150 million valuation, a player-plus-cash deal involving Quansah or Elliott could help close the gap.
