Liverpool Nears Record Deal for Florian Wirtz

Liverpool have reached an agreement with Bayer Leverkusen to sign German midfielder Florian Wirtz for a potential British record of £116 million, comprised of £100 million upfront and £16 million in add-ons. Wirtz, instrumental in Leverkusen's Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal double in 2024, will undergo his medical on Friday before signing a five-year contract. He chose Liverpool over Manchester City and Bayern Munich, both of whom withdrew due to financial or player preference reasons. Borussia Dortmund's Hans-Joachim Watzke and Bayern's Joshua Kimmich expressed disappointment at losing a top Bundesliga player to the Premier League. Upon completion, Wirtz will become Liverpool’s third summer signing and the club’s second-highest-paid player after Mohamed Salah. The transfer is expected to be finalized by the end of the week.