MAINZ, GERMANY – MAY 17: Florian Wirtz of Bayer 04 Leverkusen looks on during the Bundesliga match … More
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Florian Wirtz has his pick of Europe’s biggest and best clubs this summer. The German attacking midfielder is one of the brightest talents in soccer right now and his impending departure from Bayer Leverkusen had become a saga. That saga, however, might soon come to an end with Liverpool winning the race to sign him.
Recent reports claim the Premier League champions have moved into pole position for Wirtz. Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid had also been linked, but one by one they have fallen by the wayside as Liverpool made its sales pitch. Wirtz is now believed to favour a transfer to Anfield this summer.
BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – MAY 19: (SUN OUT, SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Arne Slot, Manger of Liverpool, looks on … More
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There isn’t an obvious role for Wirtz in Arne Slot’s team. The 22-year-old is most effective when he can drift centrally from midfield into the final third, but Liverpool’s current 4-3-3 shape doesn’t really accommodate such a player. This therefore suggests Slot intends on evolving his side for the start of next season.
It also suggests Liverpool is changing its transfer strategy. Under the ownership of Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the Anfield club has targeted undervalued players it can develop into superstars. Wirtz, however, is already a superstar. He is the future of German soccer and Liverpool sees Wirtz as someone who can elevate the level at Anfield.
While Mohamed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk put pen to paper on new deals to stay at Liverpool, the club must still consider what its future will look like once veterans such as the pair move on. This could be another reason why Liverpool is targeting Wirtz. He is the sort of player it can build around for the next decade. He could be the next difference-maker in red.
LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 04: Darwin Nunez of Liverpool under pressure from Trevoh Chalobah of Chelsea … More
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Liverpool hasn’t always been successful when spending big in the transfer market. It spent a club-record fee of £85m to sign Darwin Nunez from Benfica three years ago, but hasn’t been able to develop the Uruguayan centre forward in the way many had hoped. Dominik Szoboszlai also cost £60m and hasn’t fully lived up to his billing despite a strong 2024/25 campaign.
There’s no guarantee Wirtz will be a success on Merseyside, but his arrival at Anfield this summer would signal a change for Liverpool. It would underline the club’s standing as a true member of the English and European soccer elite. It would set up Liverpool for even more success and send a message to the rest of the sport.
