Liverpool’s fourth offer for Bayer Leverkusen’s midfielder is anticipated to be their final attempt, as the Reds are reportedly willing to withdraw from discussions if they face another rejection.
The optimism surrounding a third offer of €134 million (£113 million, $152.8 million) ultimately turned out to be misplaced, as Leverkusen remains resolute on their asking price of €150 million (£126.4 million, $171.1 million).
It is now believed that Liverpool has increased their offer to €140 million (£118 million, $159.7 million) and, as reported by the Daily Mail, the expectation is that the Reds will not exceed this amount.
Previous reports have already highlighted Liverpool’s unwillingness to meet Leverkusen’s asking price.
The ongoing negotiations are focused on the specifics of the proposed add-ons, with Leverkusen still advocating for a higher amount, even though their requests may not be easily attainable for either Liverpool or Wirtz.
Leverkusen is reportedly willing to sell Wirtz this summer, especially as he nears the last two years of his contract.
However, they will only proceed if the price is right, asserting that one of the world’s top young talents deserves a substantial fee.
There remains a strong belief that an agreement will eventually be reached, and as per Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Wirtz is “completely convinced” that he will be heading to Liverpool within days.
Wirtz does have other interested parties, particularly Bayern Munich, but the Bundesliga champions have openly expressed their disappointment regarding the midfielder’s choice to favor Liverpool’s offer.
It is uncertain whether they will rekindle their interest in a player who was considered their primary target just weeks ago.In other news, Liverpool is pursuing a deal to acquire Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez, having already secured the signing of right-back Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen earlier this summer.