Florian Wirtz’s transfer to Liverpool is ‘considered a done deal’ with the Premier League champions set to wrap up their second summer signing.
Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen have reportedly agreed a deal which will see the playmaker sign a five-year contract, where he is expected to earn up to £18.5million-a-year.
The Reds remain in negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen over a price for the 22-year-old and while talks are ongoing, an agreement is considered certain, according to Bild.
Leverkusen want £120million and Liverpool have offered £109m but Wirtz has made it clear he wants the move.
Wirtz looks set to complete his medical next week and will go on holiday before linking up with the squad for pre-season in July.
The German star has been convinced by Arne Slot’s clear plan of where he will play in Liverpool’s set-up as a No 10.
Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz is set to join Liverpool with his move ‘considered a done deal’
The German playmaker would be Arne Slot’s second summer signing after Jeremie Frimpong
Liverpool won their second Premier League last season but have quickly added to their squad
And on Wednesday, Wirtz appeared to nod in agreement when asked by MailSport if he was ‘excited for Liverpool‘ after Germany’s Nations League defeat by Portugal.
If Liverpool accept Bayer’s demands, Wirtz would become the most expensive signing in British football, overtaking the £115m Chelsea paid Brighton for Moises Caicedo.
A potential stumbling block for the deal had appeared in the form of a statement from Koln president Werner Wolf.
Wirtz joined Koln as a child in 2010 before making the switch to Leverkusen 10 years later as a 17-year-old.
According to FIFA’s rules, any club that has played a role in a player’s development between the age of 12 and 23 will receive five per cent of any transfer fee as ‘training compensation’.
Wirtz was at Koln for nine-and-a-half years from the age of seven and Wolf says his club are going to fight for what they feel they deserve.
Five per cent of the fee would see Koln pocket more than £5million from what could be a record transfer.
As per BILD, Wolf said: ‘Of course, we are looking into it. We know what we are entitled to and will fight for it.
A transfer to Liverpool would see Wirtz reunite with ex-Leverkusen star Jeremie Frimpong
Jeremie Frimpong completed a £29.5m deal to become Arne Slot’s first signing of the summer
Wirtz appeared to nod in agreement when asked by MailSport if he was ‘excited for Liverpool’
‘We’re looking at this with both eyes. We’ll benefit from it. The higher the sum Liverpool is willing to pay, the better for us.’
The 22-year-old would be Liverpool’s second signing of the window as they look to bolster their side which easily won the Premier League.
Last week they scooped Jeremie Frimpong, also from Bayer Leverkusen, after activating his £29.5m release clause.
The right wing-back penned a five-year contract at Anfield after completing his medical last month.
His challenge is to fill the boots of Trent Alexander-Arnold. But Frimpong’s record speaks glowingly of his potential. The 24-year-old has scored 28 goals in the last three seasons and assisted a further 35.
Slot’s side are also in talks with Bournemouth for the highly-rated £40m left-back Milos Kerkez.
