Liverpool Hit Snag in Wirtz Pursuit Despite Player’s Desire to Join | OneFootball

Wirtz and Liverpool: Time to Close the Deal

Liverpool’s persistence faces Leverkusen’s resolve

The long-running saga surrounding Florian Wirtz’s proposed move to Liverpool continues to grip attention. A transfer that had all the hallmarks of a statement signing for Arne Slot’s new era is still lacking finality. The Reds remain the only club Wirtz is prepared to join, with the 22-year-old having already turned down interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester City earlier in the window.

Despite strong whispers on Tuesday night that the deal was close to being sealed, reality paints a murkier picture. Sources from Liverpool insist that a formal bid for the Bayer Leverkusen playmaker “hasn’t been accepted,” despite reports of a £126 million offer surfacing across multiple outlets.

Talks progressing, but fee still a sticking point

According to Liverpool Echo journalist Ian Doyle, discussions between the two clubs are ongoing, but no agreement on the transfer fee has yet been reached. Doyle wrote that while a bid was reported as accepted, “Liverpool sources have come out and ‘dismissed’ the claims as ‘premature’.”

Bayer Leverkusen have mirrored that sentiment, with their own insiders also indicating that negotiations remain incomplete. The latest figure placed on the table by Liverpool is reportedly £114 million. That bid was not “formally rejected”, but it did serve as a “catalyst” to spark meaningful negotiations.

Window of opportunity narrowing

Time, as always, adds pressure. The move cannot officially be completed until 16 June, but with fans restless and other transfer targets across Europe rapidly dwindling, Liverpool will be eager to avoid this turning into a prolonged and frustrating saga. Manchester City have already moved decisively for Rayan Cherki, and with other big clubs now aware of the Reds’ financial readiness, the Merseysiders can’t afford to appear uncertain.

At this stage, reports suggest that everything bar the fee has been finalised. It’s now down to Liverpool to match Leverkusen’s valuation or risk letting an elite talent slip away. “Liverpool should just pay up and get their man” is the mood in many quarters.

Record fee looms, pressure mounts

Should Liverpool meet the asking price, Wirtz would surpass Darwin Núñez (£71.9m), Virgil van Dijk (£71.6m), and Dominik Szoboszlai (£59.2m) to become the club’s most expensive signing ever. “Seeing as though the transfer of Wirtz will smash Liverpool’s club-record transfer fee, they’re driving a hard bargain,” as one source put it.

Wirtz would represent not only a marquee arrival but a long-term investment in world-class creativity. If Liverpool truly want to make a statement under Slot, now is the moment to act decisively.