Reaction and opinion after Wirtz Liverpool deal agreed

Here’s a look at the key forwards currently vying for places in Liverpool’s attack, including their age, most regular position, when they are contracted to and the number of goals, assists and appearances they had last season in all competitions:

• Luis Diaz, 28, left winger/centre-forward, contracted to 2027, 17 goals and eight assists in 50 appearances
• Cody Gakpo, 26, left winger/centre-forward, contracted to 2028, 18 goals and seven assists in 49 appearances
• Mohamed Salah, 32, right winger, contracted to 2027, 34 goals and 23 assists in 52 appearances
• Federico Chiesa, 27, right winger, contracted to 2028, two goals and two assists in 14 appearances
• Darwin Nunez, 25, centre-forward, contracted to 2028, seven goals and seven assists in 47 appearances
• Diogo Jota, 28, centre-forward, contracted to 2027, nine goals and four assists in 37 appearances

Stats from Transfermarkt

Phil McNulty
BBC Sport chief football writer

Liverpool’s decision to spend £100m – and potentially £116m – on Florian Wirtz after being crowned champions is following of the methods that served them well in the glory days of old.

The great Anfield figures of the past always insisted the way to sustain success was to add quality from a position of strength rather than chase expensive arrivals to cure weaknesses.

And Liverpool’s position could not be much stronger after winning their 20th title.

It is also a vindication of the policy of keeping their powder dry financially last summer, when many supporters wanted Liverpool to go into the markets, especially after a deal for Real Socidad’s Martin Zubimendi collapsed.

Liverpool won the Premier League in Arne Slot’s first season and now have the resources and pull to sign one of Europe’s most sought after young stars.

It’s an exciting move for us LFC fans, but I share the sentiments of Josh from Liverpool @11:20, who has reservations about the cost of the whole deal. I slightly disagree about whether you can get a player of similar quality for a reasonable price as, much to my annoyance, Man City have just done exactly that. I wonder who will end up having done the better bit of business? To think that Cherki had been tipped to join Liverpool for so long…..

Gerald, Pontypridd

The summer transfer window reopens in just a few days – Monday, 16 June.

Unusually, it’s split into two parts this year.

It opened early, on 1 June, to allow teams participating in the Club World Cup the chance to sign players before the tournament begins this Sunday.

The summer window closes on 1 September at 19:00 BST for Premier League, EFL and Scottish Premiership clubs.

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Wirtz definitely won’t be used as a false nine. He’ll come in to play either in the 10 or on the left of Slot’s 4-2-3-1 system. Michael Edwards will be looking at a striker after Wirtz and Kerkez are wrapped up. Number 21 wrapped up before the season starts!

Adam

Fara Williams
Former Arsenal midfielder for BBC Sport

Losing Trent Alexander-Arnold and what he brings creatively to the side – with his passes, the way he plays and his goals – is still a concern, but in Florian Wirtz they are bringing in a quality player.

There will be big pressure as a player when you come in with such a big price tag and an expectation to settle in straight away, but the players around him will be buzzing to see him come in and their experience will help him.

We said when Jurgen Klopp left that he left a very good team. They were well established as a collective and now it is about how you stick those pieces in together.

It might look a little bit different next season, but the Liverpool side appear stronger than ever and it is frightening for teams around them.

Fans should be excited by this shift at the club and in the ambition they are showing again.

Are you just joining us? Well, Liverpool have agreed a fee with Bayer Leverkusen for Florian Wirtz.

Click the links below for what you might’ve missed. Plenty more reaction and analysis on the way.

• Wirtz to be a British record transfer? – explained
• Poised to join £100m club
• Wirtz set to become Liverpool’s record signing
• Wirtz’s background
• ‘He will bring versatility’ – analysis
• Wirtz swayed by ‘centrepiece’ role – analysis

A final word from Liverpool defender Andy Robertson on how the club signing Florian Wirtz would impact competition for places in the squad:

“When you play for a big club like Liverpool you expect challenges and expect to have competition,” he told Sky Sports.

“I have always faced that and so has everyone, so we expect nothing less.”

Robertson added: “Wherever we fit into that, then if you are happy with your role then you stay and you do it, if you are not then I am sure there will be some people out the door as well.

“That’s the nature of football, but it’s one of the biggest clubs in the world and they have to keep moving.”

@pmal5098 on X: Big move, but a big risk for the money. Coming from Bundesliga is not always easy to transfer form to the Premier League, hope it goes well and he is a top PL player next season.

More from Liverpool full-back Andy Robertson on the statement signing Florian Wirtz would make about the club’s ambition:

“He would be another exciting talent through the door – we have already got a lot of exciting talent in there, but he is a right good player and will only help us,” the Reds defender told Sky Sports, before it was announced a fee had been agreed with Bayer Leverkusen.

“Just now we are at the top, we obviously won the league and it’s important that the club keeps improving and tries to find ways to do that.

“They [Liverpool] have obviously identified certain positions where they want to get new blood in. The players we are being linked with are all younger players and they are all exciting players as well.”

Robertson added: “We want the club to be ambitious – they are doing that.”

Every signing is a gamble, but I’m sure the recruitment team at Liverpool have done their analysis and are confident the Wirtz deal is a good one. Unfortunately, teams like Chelsea, Man City, Arsenal and Man Utd have set the bar on transfer fees and Liverpool need to do the same if they are to keep up.

Keith, Leeds

Liverpool and Scotland full-back Andy Robertson has spoken about facing Liverpool’s potential new signing Florian Wirtz for club and country.

Robertson was part of the Scotland team dismantled by Germany in the opening game of Euro 2024, and also faced Wirtz in the Champions League last season, when the Reds won 4-0 at Anfield.

“He was excellent against us [Scotland], I do remember that,” the Liverpool full-back told Sky Sports on Thursday.

“Obviously that game was extremely tough for us, but he was excellent. He was the one causing us problems – on the half space and running in behind. He can mix it up.

“I haven’t seen too much of him, but I have played against him and I think that was enough for me to see he was going to be a top player.

“And then obviously we played Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League as well. I think we dominated that game a bit more and it was a bit more difficult [for him], but in the Germany team against us he was excellent.”

What happened to the theory that Liverpool don’t spend money? Or is this still the Coutinho money?

Chris, Manchester

Florian Wirtz’s move to Liverpool will make him the club’s record signing – eclipsing the £75m paid for captain Virgil van Dijk in 2018.

Alisson’s move from Roma for £66.8m is next.

Striker Darwin Nunez cost an initial £64m, rising to £85m, when he joined from Benfica – and midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai cost £60m from RB Leipzig in 2023.

Naby Keita, also a midfielder from Leipzig, cost £48m in July 2018 – a club record at the time.

I’ve always hoped Liverpool stay away from these £100m+ transfers for as long as possible as they very rarely work out due to the enormous pressure before a ball has even been kicked. That being said, it was going to happen sooner or later, and you simply will not get a player of Wirtz’s quality for a reasonable price, those days are long gone. Wirtz is probably the best young talent in Europe right now, so this is potentially the biggest statement signing the club has ever made. Remember we won the Champions League and then signed nobody in the summer….

Josh, Liverpool

In regards our £100m list earlier…

Joao Felix, Antoine Griezmann and Philippe Coutinho have all departed since their mega-money moves, with the trio struggling to consistently make an impact.

Jack Grealish played a key role in helping Man City win the Treble in 2023, however has struggled to nail down a starting spot since and could be heading for the exit.

Wirtz will start off playing false nine and then as he gets used to the Premier League he will drop back into the midfield, especially against the lower league teams.

Liam, Gloucester

German football expert Constantin Eckner believes Florian Wirtz is choosing Liverpool over Bayern Munich because he will be the star playmaker at the Premier League champions.

Eckner told BBC Sport Wirtz and his family spoke to Bayern Munich, among other clubs, but a conversation with Reds boss Arne Slot convinced him to make the move to Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen.

“What ultimately influenced his decision is that Arne Slot in particular offered Wirtz the best plan for the next couple of years, meaning Wirtz will be Liverpool’s number 10 – the centrepiece,” said Eckner.

“Of course Mohamed Salah is still there, but how many more years will he play for Liverpool? His days are somewhat numbered. Then, Wirtz will be the centrepiece of the Reds attacking system.”

Excellent news for every Liverpool fan! But more to the point, this is definitely a statement that this club is investing for the future, investing in Slot, and with more potential signings on the cards, other teams will be watching with envy and fear. What a time to be a Liverpool fan!

Simon