Liverpool may now have been handed a significant boost in their reported transfer pursuit of Florian Wirtz.
The Reds are understood to have submitted a ‘concrete’ proposal to try and sign the Bayer Leverkusen playmaker, whose future has been the subject of intense speculation in recent days and weeks, and it appears that they no longer need to worry about one of the most prominent rumoured suitors in the race for the 22-year-old.
Man City pull out of Wirtz transfer race
On Monday afternoon, BBC Sport‘s senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel revealed that Manchester City have withdrawn their initial interest in the Germany international due to the enormous costs of a prospective deal.
The transfer fee and salary arrangement which’d likely be involved for Wirtz could require a financial commitment of almost €300m (£252.6m), and the belief at the Etihad Stadium is that not even a player of his talents could justify such an outlay.
Pep Guardiola’s side have walked away from other transfer targets in previous years when they feel that it doesn’t represent value for money, having abandoned pursuits for Harry Kane, Jorginho, Frenkie de Jong, Harry Maguire and Kalidou Koulibaly in the past.
Will Liverpool pay up for Wirtz this summer?
With Man City now out of the race for Wirtz, that seems to leave Liverpool and Bayern Munich as the two leading contenders to snap up the German playmaker.
On the face of it, that could greatly play into the Merseysiders’ hands, but the gargantuan outlay which’d be required for the 22-year-old could yet scupper the Premier League champions as well.
Between a rumoured asking price of €150m (£126.3m) and a weekly wage which currently exceeds £120,000 (and will likely be much larger if he gets a blockbuster transfer), whoever ultimately signs the Leverkusen star will need to be 100% convinced that he’ll be a game-changer for them.
Nonetheless, if Liverpool have indeed submitted an offer for Wirtz, they won’t have done so without knowing the vast finances which’d be involved, and such action would indicate that Richard Hughes is determined to bring the German to Anfield.
Having already wrestled the Premier League trophy off Man City this year, could the Reds also leave them licking their wounds in the transfer race for one of the most coveted players in European football? It’d be a sensational coup if it comes off!
