Contract duration: Until 2030
Liverpool has finalized the signing of attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for a record-breaking fee, establishing a new benchmark for both the club and the Premier League. The German international joins Anfield for an initial amount of €125 million, with potential add-ons of €15 million that are deemed easily achievable and an additional €10 million in more challenging conditions. Despite several previous bids falling short of Leverkusen’s valuation, Liverpool’s commitment to securing a fair deal has proved fruitful. Wirtz is now the most expensive ever departure from Bayer Leverkusen and in Bundesliga history, having inked a contract that runs until June 2030 with the Merseyside side.
Wirtz’s transfer marks him as the most expensive German player to date, the highest fee in Premier League history, and the sixth most costly transfer globally. Should all performance-related add-ons be fulfilled, the total could elevate him to the third largest transfer ever recorded. According to the Transfermarkt database, the 22-year-old maestro’s fee surpasses the €121 million Chelsea paid to Benfica for Enzo Fernández in January 2023. Furthermore, it exceeds Chelsea’s €115 million outlay for Moisés Caicedo from Brighton in August 2023, which could rise to €133 million including add-ons.
Where does this place Wirtz in the ranks of German footballers? Bayer Leverkusen recently held the record for the highest transfer fee received for a German player, having sold Kai Havertz for €80 million to Chelsea in the summer of 2020. Following his decisive goal in the 2021 Champions League final, Havertz moved to cross-town rivals Arsenal in 2023 for €75 million, the second-largest fee in German football history. Remarkably, Wirtz’s transfer alone is nearly equivalent to the total combined value of both Havertz’s transfers.
Record Transfer – What Can Florian Wirtz Bring to Liverpool?
This transfer significantly enhances Liverpool’s storied legacy, as they have never before invested over €100 million in a single player. The previous record was held by Darwin Núñez, who was acquired from Benfica for €85 million ahead of the 2022/23 season. Given the substantial fee and associated expectations, Wirtz is set to arrive in England under considerable pressure to meet high hopes.
What can supporters anticipate from Wirtz? He is regarded as one of the most gifted German footballers in a generation. In the 2023/24 season, he dominated German football, helping Leverkusen achieve the remarkable feat of winning the Bundesliga title undefeated, scoring 11 goals and assisting on 12 others in 32 matches. Although Leverkusen experienced a slight dip this season, Wirtz maintained his impressive form with ten goals and 13 assists in 30 Bundesliga appearances, and contributed six goals with one assist in nine Champions League outings. Many believe this is just the beginning for him, as reflected in his current market value of €140 million.
