Reigning Premier League champions Liverpool have completed the signing of Germany international Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth a guaranteed £100 million, the club announced on Friday.
The transfer fee, which could rise by a further £16 million in performance-related bonuses, shatters Liverpool’s previous transfer record of £75 million, paid for captain Virgil van Dijk in 2017. Wirtz has signed a five-year contract with the Anfield club.
The 22-year-old attacking midfielder becomes only the fifth player to be signed by a Premier League club for a nine-figure fee, joining Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo, Declan Rice, and Jack Grealish.
“I feel very happy and very proud. Finally it’s done and I was waiting for a long time,” Wirtz said in a club statement. “I’m really excited to have a new adventure in front of me. This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League.”
Wirtz, who had two years remaining on his Leverkusen contract, was one of Europe’s most sought-after talents, having been heavily linked with Bayern Munich and Manchester City.
He was a pivotal figure for Leverkusen, leading them to an undefeated domestic league and cup double in the 2023-24 season. Last season, he scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists in 45 matches as Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga. In total, he registered 57 goals and 65 assists in 197 appearances for the club.
His arrival bolsters an already strong Liverpool midfield under manager Arne Slot and is a significant statement of intent as they prepare to defend their title.
“Last season they won the Premier League so my goal is for sure to win it again and also to go further in the Champions League. I’m really ambitious,” Wirtz added.
Wirtz is Liverpool’s second major signing of the summer transfer window, following the arrival of his former Leverkusen teammate, Dutch right-back Jeremie Frimpong.
Discover more from
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.