Liverpool agree £116m deal for Florian Wirtz after intense battle with Europe’s biggest clubs

Liverpool have sealed a sensational £116 million deal to sign Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, smashing both club and British transfer records. The Premier League champions will pay a guaranteed £100 million, with £16 million in add-ons that could make the Germany international the most expensive signing in British football history.

Sporting director Richard Hughes led the high-stakes negotiations that dragged on for weeks, finally concluding on Friday morning. Despite fierce interest from Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Real Madrid, Wirtz made it clear that Anfield was his dream destination.

Leverkusen initially demanded €150m (£127.6m), but Liverpool stood firm, refusing to match that figure outright. After agreeing to a guaranteed £100m, both clubs spent days hammering out the finer points of the add-on structure. Wirtz’s personal terms were already settled, with the player rejecting more lucrative offers from rival suitors to join Arne Slot’s side.

The £116m deal eclipses Chelsea’s £115m signing of Moisés Caicedo, marking a new high for British football. Liverpool’s previous transfer record stood at £85m for Darwin Núñez, who arrived from Benfica in 2022. The club now hopes to recoup much of that money by offloading Núñez this summer, with interest from Saudi Pro League and European clubs.

Liverpool’s ability to fund such a monumental deal stems from its tight spending in recent windows. Before Slot’s debut season, their only major purchase was Federico Chiesa from Juventus for £10m plus £2m in add-ons. The strategy paid off as Liverpool secured their 20th league title — equalling Manchester United’s record — with four games to spare.

Wirtz, viewed as a world-class, transformative talent, fits Liverpool’s policy of breaking records for truly elite players, following the precedent set with Alisson Becker and Virgil van Dijk. His arrival signals Fenway Sports Group’s continued ambition without abandoning its long-term financial strategy.

Liverpool hadn’t initially expected to win the race. Bayern Munich appeared favourites, with City also circling. However, Wirtz’s desire for a fresh start outside Germany and his positive conversations with Slot tipped the balance in Liverpool’s favour. Reports in Germany suggest Wirtz hesitated over City amid uncertainty about Pep Guardiola’s long-term future.

City sources claim they withdrew from the race over the deal’s cost, but insiders hint Wirtz harboured doubts about Guardiola’s tenure, swaying him towards Merseyside.

Beyond Wirtz, Liverpool’s ambitious summer revamp continues. Talks with Bournemouth are ongoing for left-back Milos Kerkez, valued at £45m. The club has already secured Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen for £29.5m, while goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili will complete his £29m move from Valencia.

Outgoings have helped fund these moves. Goalkeeper Caoimhín Kelleher has joined Brentford in a deal worth up to £18m, while Trent Alexander-Arnold shocked fans by departing for Real Madrid for £10m, just weeks before his contract expired. More sales are expected as Hughes reshapes Slot’s squad.

Meanwhile, Arne Slot’s backroom staff is taking shape. Former Arsenal and Rangers midfielder Giovanni van Bronckhorst is poised to join as assistant, replacing John Heitinga, who recently took the Ajax head coach role. Van Bronckhorst brings extensive coaching experience from Feyenoord, Guangzhou, and his Europa League final run with Rangers in 2022.

The 50-year-old has been out of work since his sacking from Besiktas in November, but is expected to add valuable experience as Liverpool targets further glory under Slot.