Florian Wirtz is showing exactly why Liverpool are prepared to shatter their transfer record to bring him to Anfield.
Even with Bayer Leverkusen rigidly sticking to their £125m asking price, sources from Germany have claimed (via Daily Mail) that a deal for the 22-year-old to join the Reds is ‘99% done’, with the Merseysiders evidently determined to get his signature over the line.
It might be just as well that the playmaker has his heart set on a move to Anfield and the proposed transfer is seemingly so near to completion, as the performance he’s giving for his country tonight would otherwise have a clutch of suitors banging down the door to try and lure him.
Wirtz goal caps starring performance for Germany
Just a few minutes in to the Nationalmannschaft’s UEFA Nations League semi-final against Portugal, Wirtz would’ve delighted Liverpool fans (and indeed their recruitment staff) with a brilliant cutback to dupe Francisco Trincao and a sublime diagonal delivery into the penalty area, even if nothing came from the subsequent chance.
wirtz u are about to change my life pic.twitter.com/CupdY435fL
— 🧟♀️ (@crewslover) June 4, 2025
He didn’t get the assist that his cross deserved in that instance, but he wrote his name on the scoresheet just three minutes into the second half as he played a neat one-two with Joshua Kimmich before steering a perfectly placed header past Diogo Costa and into the Portuguese net.
The goal was referred to VAR, but on-field referee Slavko Vincic needed only one look at a replay before swiftly pointing to the centre circle as he stood by his original call.
🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨🚨
قوووووووووووووووول فيرتز !
Follow : @MMajeedX – @MMajeedX pic.twitter.com/IENfzfmJmh
— محمود مجيد يغطي الأسطورة كريس @MMajeedx (@mmtv4008) June 4, 2025
Wirtz will have further endeared himself to Liverpool fans tonight
Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann praised Wirtz in the lead-up to tonight’s match by saying that the player hasn’t been distracted by his proposed transfer to Liverpool, and those claims have been well and truly borne out in the 22-year-old’s performance in Munich.
As per Sofascore, the Leverkusen star supplemented his goal by winning eight duels (the most of anyone for his team), winning three tackles, getting two shots on target and completing three dribbles and 100% of his long passes.
He may have endeared himself to Reds supporters another bit more by leaving a foot in on Bruno Fernandes as they contested a 50-50 duel, with no love lost between Kopites and the Manchester United midfielder!
Even with Germany ultimately losing 2-1 to Portugal, Wirtz has enhanced his glistening reputation even further with a stellar display for his country tonight.
Richard Hughes, we hope you were watching!
This article is not objective, unfortunately. I watched the game. Wirtz was mediocre, apart from scoring that header and stomping on Bruno’s ankle he had very little impact and was almost invisible.
When you spend 126 million on a player you must get it right. The question is what are we getting for this kind of massive transfer fee. Is Wirtz world class who’s going to massively improve the starting eleven.
No doubt Wirtz is technically very good, but he’s not worth 126 million. One thing stood out watching the game last night, wirtz was the smallest, most lightweight player on the pitch. The premier is far more physical than the German league.
Liverpool right now are not the most physical team 8n the premier league, we saw how Newcastle bullied and outmuscled us in the league cup final. Without the ball the midfield is too lightweight. 126 million is a massive gamble on a player who’s done very little who’s had a very bad crucial ligament injury and who will be the smallest player in the premier league.
Is he better than Diaz? No. I wouldn’t sign him, not for 126 million.
I watched the game from the 52nd minute. Wirtz had hardly any input. Infact I’m surprised he wasn’t hooked by Nagelsmann. Give me Eliott any day. £126m?? No thanks.