HITC has reported that Liverpool are showing a keen interest in signing Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz and were present at the UEFA Europa League final earlier this week in Dublin to watch him in action.
Wirtz had an off day as Xabi Alonso’s men suffered their first defeat of the season in any competition, but his overall form this season has been eye-catching to say the least.
The German international scored 18 goals and assisted 20 more in the 2023/24 campaign. He won the award for the Bundesliga Player of the Season and may be one of the top candidates for the Ballon d’Or too.
HITC claims that Liverpool are interested in Wirtz and have sent scouts to keep an eye on his progress. The report adds that Wirtz is liked by in-coming Reds boss Arne Slot, who will look to bring in a set of players suited to his tactical setup as part of a ‘revolution’ at Anfield.
However, Liverpool face competition as HITC says that Manchester City are also eyeing Wirtz as they line-up a long-term replacement for Kevin de Bruyne.
Xabi Alonso has recently compared Wirtz with Lionel Messi and was quoted saying the following:
“Why is Messi so good? Because he knows how and when to play simple passes. Messi says: ‘You’re in a better position? Here, there you have the ball!’ It’s not always about making the most brilliant move, but the best and smartest. Florian can do that. That’s why he’s so good.”
Liverpool would benefit from Wirtz next year
Bayer Leverkusen’s CEO Fernando Carro revealed that the Bundesliga champions will not sell Wirtz this year, but there is already interest incoming for him ahead of summer 2025.
The 21-year-old would be a brilliant signing for any European side as his all-round attacking gameplay is simply too good to be overlooked.
Wirtz would fit perfectly in the Liverpool side as he can supply a wholesale number of goals by playing in an advanced role and is also an top quality playmaker.
He is capable of playing virtually anywhere in the final third, and it will be exciting to see if Liverpool’s new boss, Slot, sees the potential in him to replace Mohamed Salah on the right flank.
Wirtz’s signing would not be cheap, however, as the Bayer CEO had slapped a price tag worth £128 million on the young prodigy.
