Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen are reportedly engaged in discussions regarding a possible transfer of Florian Wirtz, according to reports from Germany, with a potential swap deal being considered to lessen the financial burden on the newly crowned Premier League champions.
Although he may often go unnoticed on the pitch, Wirtz has been at the center of attention during an early season transfer saga.
The highly sought-after playmaker was initially believed to be the subject of a three-way competition involving Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Real Madrid.
The Spanish giants did not formalize their interest, and City is said to have withdrawn from the competition due to the exorbitant financial implications.
Just when Bayern thought they had a clear opportunity to secure Wirtz’s signature, reports emerged this weekend suggesting that the 22-year-old had rejected the Bundesliga champions in favor of their Premier League rivals, Liverpool.
Leverkusen is reportedly demanding a fixed fee in the vicinity of €150 million (£126 million; $170.2 million), which would surpass Liverpool’s current club-record expenditure.
To mitigate such a significant financial outlay, Sky Germany indicates that the Reds have explored the possibility of proposing a lower fee along with a player in exchange for Wirtz.
The Bundesliga club—who have also recently lost their manager Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid—are believed to be in search of a goalkeeper, central defender, striker, and, of course, a replacement for Wirtz.
Liverpool is widely anticipated to part ways with several players this summer, including the talented center-forward Darwin Núñez.
Backup goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher is also expected to depart, while the agile attacking midfielder, Harvey Elliott, may be poised to fill the gap left by Wirtz.
Elliott has recently altered his public position regarding a potential exit from Liverpool this summer, stating that he “needs to do what’s best for [his] career” in the forthcoming offseason.
Wirtz is not the only Leverkusen player heavily linked with a move to Liverpool.
Jeremie Frimpong’s arrival has not yet been confirmed, but is expected to be announced in the coming days after his relatively affordable £29.5 million ($40 million) release clause was reportedly triggered by the Reds.