Liverpool have already secured the Premier League title and attention has now fully shifted towards preparing for a massive summer ahead of next season.
The Reds are set to host Crystal Palace in their final game of the season, where they’ll lift the trophy in front of a full-house Anfield crowd.
And while they prepare for the trophy celebrations and the subsequent parade, there is serious work being done behind the scenes to secure the transfer of key targets early on in the summer.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold set to leave for Real Madrid, Liverpool have already sealed a deal for Jeremie Frimpong as his replacement.
However, TBR Football understands that replacing Trent’s creative influence remains a top priority, for which they have set their sights on Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz.
Arne Slot gives Liverpool the green light to sign Florian Wirtz
TBR Football chief correspondent Graeme Bailey has revealed that Liverpool manager Arne Slot has approved a move for Wirtz.
According to him, the interest in Wirtz stems from Alexander-Arnold’s departure who Liverpool saw as their most creative player.
This is why they see signing a creative replacement as necessary and why Slot has approved his signing.
Bailey explains: “Liverpool still think he’s going to Bayern, they know about their interest and they don’t want to be seen wasting time.
“But the thing is with Wirtz, Arne Slot has approved a deal and it essentially stems from Trent leaving. They’ve lost creativity and you could see it in the League Cup final without him. Salah was man-marked and the likes of MacAllister couldn’t do anything.
“That really brought home to them the fact that Liverpool can sometimes be quite easy to lock down which is where the creativity talk stems from, even if it’s not just necessarily a number 10.
“That’s why the Gibbs-White the Morgan Rogers interest was emerging and it’s where Wirtz has come in as well.
“Liverpool see Trent Alexander-Arnold as their most creative player, so replacing him obviously Frimpong is coming in but he’s not that direct replacement — who is at right-back?
“It’s this creativity thing and Slot has approved the arrival of this creative player.”
How Arne Slot plans to use Florian Wirtz if Liverpool sign him
Arne Slot could be making plenty of personnel and tactical changes next season. There are suggestions that Slot could play Jeremie Frimpong as right-wing, with Conor Bradley playing right-back.
This has led to suggestions that Slot could change Mohamed Salah’s role next season as well, who could play a more central role in Liverpool’s attack.
And when asked where Slot intends to play Wirtz if Liverpool are successful in signing him, Bailey said: “I’ve spoken to Liverpool and asked them about where Wirtz would play.
“The feedback is that they see Wirtz as someone who can slot into their front three some weeks — he might play in the right, he might play in the centre.
“He’s someone who can play everywhere and I don’t think they are set on him being solely in that number 10 role.
“Arne Slot would find many uses for him and as we’ve said, he has approved a deal for Wirtz.”
Wirtz, who has been described as ‘special‘ by Xabi Alonso, has shown his versatility by playing in multiple positions for Bayer Leverkusen.
However, he is best playing as an attacking midfielder. He has scored 15 goals and assisted 19 in 45 games across all competitions last season from the number 10 role.
And this season, he has continued to perform from the position, scoring 13 and assisting 12 in 40 games across all competitions.
