Liverpool Agrees £116m Deal for Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen

Liverpool has secured a club-record £116 million deal to sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, marking one of the most expensive transfers in British football history. The 22-year-old Germany international, who won the VDV Player of the Year award in the Bundesliga last season, is expected to join Liverpool with the aim of playing primarily in a No.10 role, adding versatility to their attack. Wirtz chose Liverpool over top clubs such as Bayern Munich, Manchester City, and Real Madrid, with Bayern's sporting director publicly expressing frustration over missing out on the player. Former Liverpool player Dietmar Hamann praised Wirtz as a transformative talent who enhances his teammates' performances, while club legend Jamie Carragher welcomed the signing enthusiastically. This transfer reflects a strategic shift by Liverpool's owners, Fenway Sports Group, towards more aggressive spending in the transfer market to build on their recent Premier League success. The addition of Wirtz is expected to bolster Liverpool’s attacking options amid speculation over other forwards like Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota potentially departing.