It’s Florian Friday! Liverpool have finally struck an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen for the talented Florian Wirtz, who will undergo a medical next week.
Today’s Main LFC Headline
After being told a deal for Wirtz was imminent weeks ago, Liverpool have finally reached an agreement with Leverkusen – although the fee has been reportedly differently in England and Germany.
Reliable German journalist Rafa Honigstein predicted it would be the case as both sides “want to look as if they got a great deal here.”
In England, reporters briefed by Liverpool were told the fee is up to £116 million (€136.3m), £100 million guaranteed and a further £16 million in add-ons.
Wirtz transfer, what’s claimed
British media:
£100m initial fee£16m potential add-ons£116m potential total fee
German media:
€140m (£119m) initial fee€10m (£8m) potential add-ons€150m (£127m) potential total fee
On Leverkusen’s side, though, which includes outlets kicker and BILD, the figure reported is €140 million (£119m), inclusive of realistic add-ons, plus up to €10 million (£8.5m) if other targets are met – like winning the Champions League.
It is your typical transfer hoopla but all that matters is that Liverpool got their man, if the two clubs want to spin it differently and assume none of us notice then let them have their fun.
Read more on the deal here and on his reported wages here
Today’s Liverpool FC News
Liverpool are enjoying a rare spending spree and ‘further additions’ are planned after the Wirtz and Milos Kerkez deals are wrapped up – reckon ‘The Reds have got no money but we’ll still win the league’ will be sung with more gusto now
Giovanni van Bronckhorst is to join as Arne Slot‘s new assistant and he is said to view the Liverpool job as “a great challenge and investment in his career” – hard to argue with that (NOS)
Liverpool are still being described as “in the race” for striker Hugo Ekitike, but Eintracht Frankfurt have warned that they “don’t have to sell” – Liverpool aren’t going to fall for any bullying tactics!
More from This Is Anfield
With the season over for club and country, albeit for three players competing at the U21 Euros, Joanna Durkan took a look at how Liverpool’s top 10 for minutes played in 2024/25.
Let’s just say, Virgil van Dijk is a powerhouse:
“In the landscape of world football, if you were to eliminate club cup competitions and include only league games and international exploits, Van Dijk has played the third-most minutes of any outfield player.
It is ridiculous that he sustains the performance levels he does year after year, especially after ACL surgery – a phenom who is staying at Anfield until 2027.”
Elsewhere in the football world today
James Milner has agreed to a new one-year contract extension with Brighton, the legend that is the 39-year-old lives on. He’ll become the fifth outfield player aged 40 to play in the Premier League, incredible (BHAFC)
Speaking of Spurs, they’ve filed High Court proceedings against Man United co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s company INEOS over a terminated sponsorship agreement – juicy, hopefully (Telegraph)
If you’re at all interested, don’t blame you if you’re not, the Club World Cup gets underway in the US this weekend
Liverpool FC: On this day
On this day in 1955, the legendary Alan Hansen was born. Happy birthday, Jocky!
The centre-back signed for the Reds from Partick Thistle for £100,000 in May 1977, he featured an incredible 620 times and won eight League titles, three European Cups, two FA Cups, three League Cups and four FA Charity Shields.
Quite the career, eh!
It was incredibly fitting that he was chosen by Van Dijk to present the Premier League trophy last month. Happy 70th, Alan.
