Florian Wirtz is the name on every Liverpool fan’s lips at the moment as anticipation grows over a potential move for the Bayer Leverkusen superstar.
The Reds look to have jumped the queue and now lead the race for the 22-year-old if he is to make a move this summer, which is looking increasingly likely. Leverkusen is already set to lose one player to Liverpool in Jeremie Frimpong, while head coach Xabi Alonso will be heading to Real Madrid.
Liverpool.com understands contact has been made with Leverkusen, with Wirtz said to have informed Bayern Munich – who had previously looked to have been the frontrunner for his signature – that he wants a move to the Premier League.
In fact, Bayern already looks to have admitted defeat, with president Herbert Hainer confirming Wirtz is favoring a move to Anfield, which will be music to the ears of Liverpool fans.
It seems then, barring any dramatic twists, the path may be clear for the Arne Slot and Richard Hughes to get their man, and they may well have some aces up their sleeve in order to speed up the process.
According to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Leverkusen is keen to reach a “swift agreement” with Liverpool, which will depend on the Reds’ opening offer.
As part of the deal, it’s suggested that Liverpool could include a player along with a transfer fee, with Leverkusen eyeing up a few positions in particular.
Learn more
The Bundesliga runner-up is said to be eyeing up a new goalkeeper, central defender, striker, and a replacement for Wirtz – likely, another attacking midfielder.
Any Liverpool fan’s eyes will likely light up at reading those positions, with some obvious candidates for the Reds to offer up in each role.
Caoimhin Kelleher is an obvious place to start, with the Irishman looking almost certain to move on this summer as Giorgi Mamardashvili arrives from Valencia to challenge Alisson Becker in goal.
As for the central defender, Jarell Quansah and Joe Gomez could potentially be offered up, although offloading either would leave Liverpool needing to find a replacement. In any case, the Reds seem reluctant to dispense of Quansah, who is still seen as having a long-term future at Anfield despite struggling for game time this season.
The striker offers up a more obvious candidate, with Darwin Nunez surely on the move this summer after a mixed – at best – three years at Anfield. Whether Liverpool would want to miss out on what could be a substantial fee for the Uruguayan may be an issue there, or a potential bargaining tool for other deals.
(Image: Getty Images)
And there is a player in Slot’s squad who could be seen as straight swap for Wirtz. Harvey Elliott’s future has been the subject of speculation over the last few months, with the 22-year-old having admitted himself he may have to look elsewhere for regular playing time.
Elliott has already been linked with a move to the Bundesliga, with Borussia Dortmund having been linked with his services. If Wirtz is to make the move to Anfield, that would potentially push the England U21 international further down the pecking order, meaning a move in the opposite direction could be perfect for all parties.
Liverpool.com says: Out of all those options, Kelleher or Elliott would perhaps make the most sense. Liverpool hasn’t shown any sign of entertaining offers for Quansah previously, and offloading Gomez would increase the need for a new defender.
Nunez is an obvious candidate for an exit, but there is an opportunity to make some big bucks there, so it might be worth just hanging on to him for a bit longer. Considering what Wirtz’s arrival would mean for Elliott, everything perhaps adds up for him to head to Leverkusen.
