Liverpool have reportedly had the pathway cleared for them to sign Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz. The playmaker is expected to be on the move when the season concludes, and a move to England is said to be firmly in the player’s thoughts.
The Reds splashed the cash over the summer to breathe a fresh lease of life into their squad, with a midfield rebuild being Jurgen Klopp’s priority. The ex-Borussia Dortmund boss allowed stalwarts like Fabinho, Jordan Henderson and James Milner to depart to raise funds.
Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch all arrived as part of the overhaul, and Liverpool have now turned their attention to adding another forward to their squad.
Germany international Wirtz is among the considerations at Anfield, and their chances of securing the signature of the 20-year-old have reportedly been handed a major boost. According to Sky Deutschland, Leverkusen are resigned to selling their No. 10 at the end of the season due to the immense level of interest in the playmaker.
The Bundesliga outfit are hoping to retain the services of the forward for another season, but the prospect of playing for a top club is likely to ‘lure him’ away from his boyhood side, despite their best wishes.
Bayern Munich are very interested in Wirtz, though the idea of heading to the Premier League is said to be attractive to the player and thus Liverpool and Manchester United are set to battle it out for his signature, with Manchester City also monitoring his situation closely.
Leverkusen have slapped a £95million price tag on the head of their versatile attacker to try and deter interest, though that may be a small price for Liverpool to pay to secure one of the most sought-after playmakers in Europe. TeamTalk report that Klopp already has a plan in place for Wirtz and he believes that he is capable of transitioning into the false nine at Anfield, replacing club legend Roberto Firmino in the coveted role.
The German would become the ‘heartbeat’ of the Reds’ set-up, and that could also prove very decisive in negotiations with the player given the lucrative offers that will be on the table from elsewhere. It remains to be seen how the bidding war pans out for Wirtz and whether other top clubs join the race, especially given his presence to play in the Premier League.
