Liverpool ready to pay full £126million asking price for Florian Wirtz to avoid drawn-out transfer saga
LIVERPOOL are preparing to pay the full £126million asking price to capture Florian Wirtz as soon as possible.
The Bayern Leverkusen playmaker is understood to have agreed a five–year deal.
Although the clubs have yet to agree a final fee.
But boss Arne Slot wants to avoid a drawn–out saga.
His club first offered £110m then went back with an improved offer.
Now Anfield’s chief executive of football Michael Edwards has been given permission by owners Fenway Sports Group to go all–in.
There is growing Kop optimism that the 22-year-old will put pen to paper after the end of the international break on Sunday.
Wirtz featured in Germany’s Nations League semi-final defeat to Portugal.
He opened the scoring at the Allianz Arena with a well-taken header just after half-time.
But Francisco Conceicao and Cristiano Ronaldo struck within five minutes to turn the semi-final around.
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Julian Nagelsmann’s side will now face either France or Spain who play tonight in Sunday’s third-fourth play-off.
After that, Wirtz will be free to have a medical.
And, as is now all but certain, become the showpiece signing of Slot’s squad summer splurge with £29m Leverkusen team-mate Jeremie Frimpong already on board.
Liverpool had been prepared to go to £120m including add-ons for Wirtz.
But they now accept the Bundesliga club will not back down on their original valuation.
They are hoping all negotiations can now be completed by the weekend and that Wirtz will be signed and sealed before heading out on holiday in readiness to join his new club for pre-season training which starts early next month.
The attacker’s number at Anfield remains unclear.
Reports suggested he wanted to take the No10 off Alexis Mac Allister – but he quashed those suggestions with an Instagram post.
Wirtz, who wears No10 for Leverkusen but No17 for Germany, wrote: “Who says I want the 10 [emoji].
“I respect players.
“Don’t believe everything that’s written,” followed by a clown emoji.
Elsewhere, Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez is also expected to sign next week for £45m – taking the Anfield spend to £200m.