Will Florian Wirtz join Liverpool? Fresh reports on German star emerge as Bayer Leverkusen reject £113M bid

Florian Wirtz's proposed move to Liverpool is heading in the right direction, according to TBR Football. The Reds have already seen two bids for the German sensation rejected by Bayer Leverkusen this summer.

Wirtz has been outstanding for the Bundesliga club in recent years, and finished the 2024/25 campaign with 16 goals and 15 assists from 45 games across competitions. His efforts have convinced the Merseyside club, who are ready to break the bank for the 22-year-old.

Liverpool enjoyed a tremendous season under Arne Slot, winning the Premier League for the second time. However, they faltered in the Champions League and domestic cups, and are eager to upgrade the squad before the new campaign.

The Reds believe that Wirtz could help Slot's team hit a higher gear and initially submitted a £109m offer for the player. When it was rejected, the Merseyside club returned with a £113m proposal, including £100m upfront and £13m in add-ons and bonuses.

However, it was turned down by Bayer Leverkusen once again, who value the player at £126m. Liverpool have no desire to match that number, but are engaged in talks as they try to convince the German side to let Wirtz go.

Negotiations have progressed well and a breakthrough is expected soon. Wirtz, who has already agreed personal terms with the Reds, could arrive at Anfield this week to finalize the move. BILD journalist Axel Hesse has added that the German could even make his debut for the Premier League champions against Preston North End on July 13.

Are Liverpool in talks to sign Milos Kerkez?

Liverpool are close to securing the services of Milos Kerkez this summer, according to a separate report from TBR Football. The Hungarian left-back has been a revelation for Bournemouth this season, scoring two goals and setting up six more from 41 games.

His efforts have convinced the Reds, who are laying down succession plans for Andy Robertson. The Scottish left-back has shown signs of regression this season, and the Merseyside club want Kerkez to take his place in the team.

The report adds that Liverpool have already reached a £40m agreement with the Cherries to sign the 21-year-old this summer. Kerkez is apparently eager to make the move to Anfield, so personal terms are unlikely to be a problem. It is believed that Bournemouth have identified Rennes skipper Adrien Truffert as the Hungarian's replacement.

About the author

Deepungsu is a veteran football journalist who has been covering daily transfer roundups and news for over six years at Sportskeeda. He has written over 9000 articles for the website, and has garnered 20 million reads.

Deepungsu holds a PG degree in Microbiology and an MBA degree in Total Quality Management. He has an extensive two-decade long writing experience, which includes a decade of sports blogging. His writing prowess has even led his work getting cited on the legendary Franz Beckenbauer's Wikipedia page.

Inspired by Diego Maradona, Deepungsu played as an attacking midfielder for his local club at subdivision level in his initial years and scored an important goal or two. However, his all-time favorite footballer is Lionel Messi, and evidently, he feels Argentina's glory in 2022 is his favorite FIFA World Cup moment for fulfilling his long-standing dream. He is also an ardent East Bengal fan.

Deepungsu has been a Manchester United supporter since the year 2000. Unsurprisingly, his favorite manager is Sir Alex Ferguson and the Scotsman helped him get through some of the toughest days of his life. Like the fiery Scot, Deepungsu also leaves no stone unturned when it comes to accuracy in articles and only relies on credible sources.

Despite believing in Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland to create an iconic rivalry, Deepungsu reckons no one can match the longevity of Messi and Ronaldo. He spends his leisure time writing about life on his blog, reading books, and playing the guitar.

Know More

Edited by Nihal