Liverpool transfer approved with multiple records to fall

Liverpool have approved the record-breaking transfer of Florian Wirtz following an urgent meeting between Michael Edwards and FSG, and two reports in Germany have shared the latest on what’s shaping up to be the biggest move of the summer.

Despite being just 22 years of age, Wirtz is already a bona fide superstar having fired Bayer Leverkusen to their first ever top flight title in the 2023/24 campaign. The attacking midfielder has bagged 69 goal contributions over the past two seasons, was named Bundesliga player of the season last year, and along with Jamal Musiala, is the present and future of the German national side.

Wirtz has become the leading name in the build-up to the summer transfer window opening its doors on June 1. Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Liverpool and Real Madrid have all been linked.

Man City are understood to have pulled out of the race after baulking at the costs involved. Fears the transfer saga could drag on have also pushed Man City into moving for Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White instead.

According to the latest from German outlet Kicker, Real Madrid can also be discounted despite the Xabi Alonso connection.

Alonso currently manages Wirtz at Leverkusen and will succeed Carlo Ancelotti at Real Madrid once the campaign concludes. Nonetheless, the report stated Real Madrid are posing ‘no threat’ to the remaining clubs seeking to sign Wirtz.

As such, the race has narrowed down to two clubs – Bayern Munich and Liverpool. Furthermore, a third scenario of Wirtz remaining at Leverkusen for one more season is not realistic, according to Kicker.

A straight fight between Liverpool and Bayern now awaits, and per Kicker, ‘Bayern fear Liverpool.’

The Reds have already held a well-documented meeting with Wirtz’s family in England last week. The player’s family are understood to hold significant influence on where Wirtz will end up.

And after BILD chief Christian Falk stated Liverpool have ‘chosen the 22-year-old as the centre of a new team at Anfield’, another meeting has taken place.

Per Falk, the second meeting was conducted between Michael Edwards (FSG’s CEO of Football) and FSG’s top brass.

Falk’s report read: ‘Liverpool’s decision-makers, led by Michael Edwards, flew to Boston this week to meet Liverpool’s owners, Fenway Sports Group, in order to approve the funds for the potential transfer.

‘The meeting in the USA was called at short notice following the Wirtz family’s visit. The Liverpool bosses’ main aim is to snatch the midfielder away from FC Bayern.’

Falk then went on to claim FSG have approved the move and the record-breaking sums required to seal Wirtz’s signing have now been made ‘available.’

Kicker reported much the same, adding Liverpool are ‘going to the limit’ for Wirtz.

Leverkusen value their talisman at a gigantic €150m / £126.7m. A deal on that scale would not only shatter Liverpool’s transfer record, but break the Premier League record too.

Liverpool’s record buy remains the £85m (add-ons included) paid to sign Darwin Nunez from Benfica.

The Premier League’s all-time record for arrivals is the £115m Chelsea paid when beating Liverpool to the signature of Moises Caicedo in 2023.

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IN FOCUS: Florian Wirtz’s achievements so far

By Samuel Bannister

Wirtz has recorded some impressive achievements by the age of 21 – becoming the youngest Bundesliga scorer when he got his first goal for Bayer Leverkusen, for example, although he has since been surpassed – but his recent record has shown he could be ready for the next step.

So far, he can boast that he:

Was named the Europa League Young Player of the Season two years in a row (2022/23 and 2023/24).

Helped Bayer Leverkusen win their first ever Bundesliga in 2023-24 and was named the league’s Player of the Season.

Has been named the Bundesliga Player of the Month six times, including in two consecutive months in the 2023/24 season.

Scored six goals in the Champions League this season, despite it being his first at that level – and was remarkably named man of the match in five of his first nine UCL appearances.

Has scored double figures of goals in both of the past two seasons, with his career high being 18.

Was the only player from Europe’s top five leagues to score 16+ goals and provide 16+ assists in all competitions last season.

Across the 2024/25 season, Wirtz scored another 16 times and provided 15 more assists, bringing his overall tally to 57 goals and 65 assists from 197 appearances – a G/A every 1.61 appearances.

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