Liverpool are nearing a sensational move for Bayer Leverkusen’s midfield maestro Florian Wirtz, with negotiations between the two clubs now centring on the final structure of a deal that could total £114 million.
The Merseyside giants have tabled a third formal bid, offering £100 million up front with a further £14 million in performance-based add-ons. If agreed, the transfer would shatter Liverpool’s current club record fee of £75 million, paid for Virgil van Dijk back in 2018.
According to sources close to BBC Sport, discussions are progressing swiftly, with both sides ironing out the finer details, including the valuation and viability of the proposed bonuses. Leverkusen had originally set an asking price in the region of £126 million for the German international.
Wirtz, 22, is understood to favour a move to Anfield over rival interest from Manchester City and Bayern Munich. The attacking midfielder has been a standout performer since debuting for Leverkusen at just 17, tallying 57 goals in 197 appearances.
A pivotal figure in Leverkusen’s historic Bundesliga title win in 2024, Wirtz has also impressed on the international stage, scoring seven goals in 31 caps for Germany since 2021.
Liverpool have already done business with the German outfit this summer, having secured right-back Jeremie Frimpong in a £34 million switch.
Should the Wirtz transfer go through, he will become only the tenth player in football history to command a fee of £100 million or more.
The British transfer record remains Chelsea’s £107 million acquisition of Enzo Fernández from Benfica in 2023. The Blues also secured Moisés Caicedo from Brighton for a fee that could rise to £115 million.
Wirtz’s potential price tag, while astronomical, still falls short of the all-time world record — Neymar’s £200 million move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.
