Liverpool‘s club-record bid for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz has been rejected, reports from Germany claim.
Wirtz has been earmarked as the Reds’ No 1 target this summer, as Arne Slot looks to build on the side that delivered him a Premier League title in his first season on Merseyside.
The 22-year-old was key to Leverkusen’s unlikely Bundesliga triumph in 2023-24 and has long been linked with a move to Bavarian giants Bayern Munich.
Manchester City have also been tracking Wirtz, with Pep Guardiola reportedly viewing him as the perfect successor to Kevin De Bruyne as the club’s primary creative outlet.
In recent weeks, however, Anfield has emerged as the most likely destination for the Germany international – with Wirtz having already agreed personal terms for a move.
Liverpool further demonstrated their desire to complete the deal by tabling a bid worth €130milion (£110m). However, according to a report from Bild, the offer has been rejected with Leverkusen reportedly determined to secure a €150m (£127m) for their prized asset.
But the report further claims that the shortfall could be made up with performance-related bonuses and stresses the deal is not considered to be in jeopardy, with Leverkusen still expecting Wirtz to leave.
Credit: dailymail.co.uk
