Liverpool are stepping up their pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen and Germany attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz, according to multiple reports.
The 22-year-old is a key target for Liverpool, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, though Leverkusen still hold faint hopes of keeping him for one more season.
Bayern had been considered frontrunners, with Wirtz previously thought to prefer remaining in Germany. However, it now appears the highly rated playmaker is open to a move to the Premier League.
With Manchester City reportedly out of the race, Liverpool are pushing ahead and have made a ‘formal approach’ to Leverkusen, with ‘talks over a transfer fee’ ongoing, according to Fabrizio Romano.
Earlier on Friday, Romano reported that Liverpool are ‘confident’ of securing a deal this summer. He has since added that Wirtz has given the ‘green light’ for a move to Anfield.
New head coach Arne Slot is said to be eager to finalise the signing quickly to avoid a ‘long saga’ or any ‘surprises’.
Sky Germany journalist Florian Plettenberg has also claimed that Wirtz has given Liverpool his ‘verbal agreement today’.
The development represents a significant blow to Bayern Munich, who have reportedly been ‘informed’ of the player’s preference to join Liverpool after ‘turning down’ their advances.
Meanwhile, The Times journalist Paul Joyce reports that the Premier League champions now lead the race for Wirtz, though they will likely need to break their transfer record – set by Virgil van Dijk’s £75million move in January 2018 – to land the German star.
Joyce adds that Bayern are increasingly pessimistic, while Wirtz has been ‘impressed by Liverpool’s ambitious plans under Arne Slot to build on this season’s Premier League title success’.
Leverkusen are seeking a fee of €150million (£126m), which remains a potential stumbling block. However, there is hope that a lower base figure could be agreed, with the rest made up through performance-related add-ons.
Liverpool’s simultaneous pursuit of Leverkusen right-wing-back Jeremie Frimpong could also prove pivotal, as the two players have developed a close friendship.
Frimpong is thought to be on the verge of joining – having ‘already passed a medical’ – and, having ‘sat beside’ Wirtz and driven him to training, his presence at Anfield could help ease the transition for his compatriot.
All signs now point to this transfer edging closer. A potential landmark signing – and a significant statement of intent from Liverpool.