Florian Wirtz wage demands at Liverpool 'revealed' as Arne Slot looks to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold's creativity

Liverpool have reportedly agreed to pay Florian Wirtz £355,000 per week if they are able to finalise an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen for his transfer.

The Reds are Premier League champions but look set to strengthen considerably, with the club needing to replace the creativity of departed right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has joined Real Madrid.

Failure to do so hamper cost the Merseysiders in next season's title race, especially as Arsenal and Manchester City are likely to reinforce their offensive ranks.

Liverpool are reportedly close to agreeing a fee with Leverkusen for playmaker Wirtz, who will cost significantly in excess of £100m.

Bild claim that the champions are willing to make the German attacker the team's second-highest earner, ahead of Virgil van Dijk (£350,000) but behind Mohamed Salah (£400,000).

Wirtz compared to Alexander-Arnold

It is important to note that Wirtz is unlikely to be creating from the same positions as Alexander-Arnold given he has predominantly operated in the forward line, while the right-back was a creative force from deep.

However, though it is hard to see the German being as influential in early phases of buildup, he could represent an upgrade on the ball in the final third.

Wirtz managed to score 10 goals and provide 12 assists in 31 Bundesliga games last term, whereas Alexander-Arnold scored three times and registered six assists in 33 Premier League matches.

The Bayer Leverkusen star played 57 passes that directly led to a shot in the top flight, five more than the English defender managed.

In regard to dribbling, Wirtz attempted 167 take-ons in the Bundesliga in 2024-25 and was successful 82 times, while the Real Madrid man attempted just 37 take-ons, with the defender successful on 17 occasions.

‌Wirtz also carried the ball into the penalty area 53 times, while Alexander-Arnold did so just nine times, highlighting the varied nature of the German's skillset.

Written by
Lewis Nolan