Liverpool have reportedly come forward with a mammoth €130m (£109.3m) offer for Bayer Leverkusen attacker Florian Wirtz, who could become the Reds' most expensive signing of all time.
Following Manchester City's decision to withdraw from the race for the Germany international, Liverpool quickly moved to the head of the queue to secure his services.
The Premier League champions have been in dialogue with Leverkusen for a number of weeks now, as the two clubs have already struck an agreement to take Jeremie Frimpong to Anfield.
The right-back's move to Merseyside is expected to be made official in the coming hours, on the same day that Liverpool accepted an £8.4m offer from Real Madrid to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold early.
The club are already putting that money to good use, as The Athletic claims that Liverpool have now made an astronomical nine-figure bid for Wirtz, which is an improvement on their initial unspecified offer.
Wirtz 'keen' on Liverpool move as £105m offer tabled
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The £109.3m figure comprises a base fee and possible performance-related add-ons, and Wirtz is understood to be keen on joining Arne Slot's side for the 2025-26 campaign.
Bayern Munich were seemingly Liverpool's main competition for the 22-year-old, but the Bundesliga champions have now been informed of the player's intentions to join the Reds instead.
Negotiations have been moving in a positive direction for a few days now, and Wirtz is even said to have been searching for houses in the North West of England in anticipation of a possible move.
Should a transfer go through for the aforementioned amount, Wirtz would become Liverpool's most expensive arrival of all time, eclipsing the £85m that the Reds agreed to fork out on Darwin Nunez in 2022.
The Germany international has amassed 57 goals and 65 assists from 197 matches for Leverkusen since joining from the FC Koln academy in 2020, establishing a reputation as one of Europe's brightest playmakers.
After becoming a Bundesliga invincible under Xabi Alonso in 2023-24, Wirtz managed 16 goals and 15 assists in 45 matches for Leverkusen last season, including six goals in the Champions League.
Wirtz Liverpool move could aid Cristiano Ronaldo replacement mission
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Where will Wirtz fit into this Liverpool side? A question where there is arguably no right or wrong answer, but one that Slot will have to answer if Liverpool pull off a record-breaking move for the 22-year-old.
As Wirtz is unlikely to displace Dominik Szoboszlai in the number 10 slot, the German could instead play off the left wing, a role that he is more than comfortable in despite his recent exploits centrally.
Wirtz's arrival could therefore bump Luis Diaz down the pecking order, and the Colombian - whose deal is up in 2027 - is thought to be a target for Saudi giants Al-Nassr, who are yet to agree a contract extension with Cristiano Ronaldo.
Therefore, if Liverpool get a deal for Wirtz over the line, the Reds would likely be receptive to suitable offers for Diaz, who would be a more than capable replacement for the 40-year-old Ronaldo at Al-Nassr.
Ben Knapton
