Liverpool splurge record funds to acquire German midfielder Wirtz, breaking their own previous transfer record.
Liverpool's latest signing, Florian Wirtz, has smashed the club's transfer record, as they splash a whopping £126 million ($168 million) on the German midfielder. Wirtz, 22, joins the Premier League champions from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, signing a five-year deal.
The deal, worth an initial £100 million, includes another £16 million in potential bonuses, making Wirtz the most expensive signing in Liverpool's history, surpassing Virgil van Dijk's £75 million move in 2017.
Wirtz, who was heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich and Manchester City, expressed his excitement about joining the Merseyside club. "I feel very happy and very proud," he said in a statement. "Finally it's done, and I am really happy."
Wirtz's versatility in playing as a midfielder, left winger, or false nine adds more depth to Liverpool's midfield, alongside Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Curtis Jones. He is now the fifth 100-million-pound plus signing in Premier League history, joining the likes of Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, Arsenal's Declan Rice, and Manchester City's Jack Grealish.
With the addition of Wirtz, Liverpool is sending a clear statement of intent, aiming to build on their success under Arne Slot, the first Dutch manager to win the Premier League. "I would like to win everything every year! First of all, we have to do our work, I have to make my work," Wirtz added. "In the end, we want to be successful."
Known for his exceptional performance at Leverkusen, Wirtz led the team to an undefeated domestic league and Cup double in the 2023-24 season and two league seasons without an away defeat. Over 197 appearances for Leverkusen, Wirtz scored 57 goals and provided 65 assists, including 16 goals and 15 assists in the 2024-25 season.
Capped 31 times by Germany since his debut in 2021, Wirtz is the only player to register 10 or more goals and assists in the last two Bundesliga seasons. His arrival at Liverpool marks the second addition of the transfer window, following the signing of Dutch right back Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen. It's worth noting that 21-year-old Bournemouth left back Milos Kerkez has also been linked with Liverpool.
Florian Wirtz's record-breaking move to Liverpool, costing £126 million ($168 million), positions him as the most costly signing in the club's history, surpassing Virgil van Dijk's £75 million deal in 2017. With his versatility in playing as a midfielder, left winger, or false nine, Wirtz joins fellow midfielders like Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Curtis Jones in the Premier League, making him one of the five 100-million-pound plus signings in the league's history.
