Liverpool nears record €150 million deal for Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen

Ultimately, it was resolved with money. Liverpool is on the verge of signing Florian Wirtz (22, Bayer Leverkusen).

The German publication Kicker reported on the 7th (Korea time), "There is no longer any serious doubt about Wirtz's transfer. Bayer Leverkusen and Liverpool are close to an agreement, and Wirtz's move to Liverpool has entered its final stage."

The media noted, "The two clubs have become very close to an agreement on Wirtz. The Bundesliga runner-up Bayer Leverkusen is expected to receive a transfer fee of about €150 million (approximately 232.7 billion won) from Liverpool. Now the transfer is imminent, and both the Premier League and the Bundesliga are on the verge of the largest transfer in history. The two teams made decisive progress towards agreeing on Wirtz's transfer fee on Friday."

It appears that Liverpool has met Bayer Leverkusen's asking price. Kicker explained, "Until recently, there was a difference of about €20 million (approximately 31 billion won) between Liverpool and the Bundesliga regarding Wirtz's expected value. However, the boards of the two teams are currently showing only a relatively small gap." They added, "Negotiations have entered the final stages, and a final agreement is imminent. Therefore, there is no longer any serious doubt that this mega transfer will happen."

Specific conditions have also been revealed. The media added, "Wirtz is under contract with Bayer Leverkusen until 2027. His transfer fee is made up of a fixed transfer fee and easily achievable bonuses, along with performance-based bonuses. It is estimated to total around €150 million."

Another influential German outlet, Bild, also reported, "Wirtz will likely not be a Bayer Leverkusen player in July. His transfer to Liverpool appears to be confirmed. Wirtz has signed a contract with Liverpool until 2030 and is expected to earn up to €22 million (approximately 34.1 billion won) annually."

The media pointed out, "The transfer fee negotiations between Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen have also entered the final stages. Liverpool recently proposed a total of €130 million (about 201.7 billion won), including all bonuses, while Bayer Leverkusen is asking for €150 million. Negotiations are ongoing, but an agreement is considered certain."

Wirtz plans to join Liverpool soon and prepare for the next season. Bild added, "Wirtz will complete his medical tests early next week in Liverpool before going on vacation. He is also expected to start preseason training with Liverpool in July, which means he will not be leaving with Bayer Leverkusen to go to Brazil."

European football transfer market expert Fabrizio Romano is also ready to shout, "Here we go." He noted, "Liverpool plans to complete the signing of Wirtz within the next few days. The negotiations have entered their final stages, and it has been confirmed that Wirtz plans to depart for England for his medical tests once the details are finalized," and he wrote, "Soon, Here we go."

Born in 2003, Wirtz is considered one of Germany's top talents. He made his professional debut with Bayer Leverkusen at the age of 17 in 2020 and astonished everyone with a record of 7 goals and 10 assists in 24 Bundesliga matches in the 2021-2022 season.

Wirtz has quickly grown into an indispensable resource at Bayer Leverkusen. He is right-footed but proficient with both feet, functioning as an attacking midfielder. He mainly operates in the attacking second line, freely moving between central and wide positions to penetrate the box and create plays, thereby troubling opposing defenses.

Not only does he possess excellent passing ability, but he also has scoring power, making him even more threatening. Wirtz has scored 57 goals in 197 matches while wearing the Bayer Leverkusen jersey and plays a key role in the German national team's attack. His international match record stands at 6 goals in 29 matches.

His career has been spectacular. Wirtz led Bayer Leverkusen to the Bundesliga's first unbeaten championship last season and also has the UEFA Europa League (UEL) runner-up and the DFB-Pokal grand prize in his background. This season, he has boasted terrifying statistics with 16 goals and 14 assists in official matches across 45 appearances.

Having proven his skills, Wirtz has emerged as one of the star players in this summer's transfer market. Not only Liverpool but also several big clubs, including Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich, have shown interest.

Among them, the transfer rumors with Manchester City and Bayern Munich were particularly hot. However, Manchester City felt the astronomical transfer fee was burdensome earlier this month and withdrew from the signing race. Bayern Munich also struggled to persuade Wirtz, who seeks a new challenge.

Liverpool has successfully captured Wirtz's heart, relying on excellent club facilities and proactive approaches. Wirtz has also informed Bayer Leverkusen of his desire to move to Liverpool. Earlier, British broadcaster BBC reported, "Wirtz is a key target for Liverpool, and he has clearly stated his desire to join Liverpool before the next season."

Liverpool has decided to invest €150 million, the highest transfer fee in Premier League history, to sign Wirtz. This amount far exceeds the €121 million (approximately 187.7 billion won) that Chelsea spent to acquire Enzo Fernández in 2022. Furthermore, the Bundesliga is about to set a new record for the highest transfer fee in history, surpassing the fixed transfer fee of €105 million (approximately 162.9 billion won) that Borussia Dortmund earned from selling Ousmane Dembélé to Barcelona in 2017.

[OSEN]