The two clubs have been negotiating for weeks, and the talks are now approaching a conclusion.
On Friday, Liverpool put forward their third official offer for the midfielder, which included £100 million plus £13 million in add-ons. This would break the British transfer record, surpassing the £115 million Chelsea paid Brighton for Moises Caicedo in August 2023, but it still falls short of Leverkusen’s asking price.
From the beginning, Leverkusen has held out for £126.4 million, with Liverpool’s sporting director Richard Hughes leading the discussions. However, it appears both sides are close to finding middle ground.
Leverkusen previously sold Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool for £29.5 million and are now close to securing another significant fee from the Premier League club.
The German team expects Liverpool’s final offer within 24 hours, reportedly around £118 million. Liverpool have made it clear they won’t meet the £126 million demand, and Leverkusen doesn’t want to push too hard.
They recognize Wirtz’s desire to join Liverpool and understand the need to finalize a deal now. Given that Liverpool initially offered £85 million (€100 million), Leverkusen will still be pleased if the deal goes through.
Wirtz, who could earn £355,000 per week at Liverpool, is preparing to represent Germany in the Nations League third-place match against France in Stuttgart on Sunday and is eager to settle his future. After talks with Bayern Munich, he chose Liverpool, impressed by their vision for him.
If the deal is completed, it will mark the end of a long pursuit, as former sporting director and current Fenway Sports Group football chief Michael Edwards has been tracking Wirtz since 2020 when he played for Koln.
Wirtz has been one of the Bundesliga’s standout players in recent years, helping Leverkusen win the 2023/24 title. Last season, the 22-year-old scored 15 goals and provided 16 assists in 45 appearances across all competitions, and he is ready for a new challenge outside Germany.
Liverpool, after a relatively quiet summer with only one signing—Federico Chiesa—are preparing for the 2024/25 season. With Frimpong signed and deals underway for Wirtz and Bournemouth’s left-back Milos Kerkez, the club will need to sell some players to balance the finances.
Players like Darwin Nunez, Harvey Elliott, Andy Robertson, and Chiesa could potentially be sold this summer, especially after Caoimhin Kelleher’s £18 million transfer to Brentford