Amid reports linking Liverpool with a move for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz, we take a closer look at the German playmaker’s standout numbers.
After a relatively subdued transfer window last year, Liverpool have already stepped up their activity this summer — and it’s only early June.
Federico Chiesa arrived late from Juventus, and the Reds also secured a deal for Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who will officially join the squad ahead of the upcoming season.
He’s set to link up with Jeremie Frimpong, another arrival from Bayer Leverkusen, and it might not stop there. Liverpool could be closing in on yet another major addition.
Many tipped Wirtz for a move to Bayern Munich — even the Bundesliga champions were seemingly confident — but the 21-year-old has reportedly chosen the Premier League, with Anfield as his preferred destination.
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Record-Breaking Fee on the Cards as Liverpool Target Leverkusen Star
Florian Wirtz has established himself as one of Europe’s standout talents in recent seasons, and it looks like Liverpool will need to break their own transfer record — and the British transfer record — to secure his services. Bayer Leverkusen are reportedly demanding a staggering £126 million (€150m) for the 22-year-old attacking midfielder.
It’s a hefty price tag, but Liverpool’s modest outlay of just £10 million on Federico Chiesa last summer, combined with the financial boost of lifting the Premier League title, has seemingly given them the flexibility to pursue a marquee signing from a position of strength.
Wirtz’s journey began when he joined Leverkusen from FC Köln at just 16, making his senior debut shortly after turning 17. Remarkably, he netted his first Bundesliga goal against Bayern Munich three weeks later, becoming the league’s youngest-ever scorer at 17 years and 34 days.
Since then, he has continued to deliver consistently, tallying eight goals and seven assists in 38 appearances during the 2020-21 campaign, before registering 10 goals and 14 assists in just 31 games the following season — despite that campaign being cut short.
Wirtz’s Remarkable Comeback: From Career-Threatening Injury to European Stardom
Wirtz suffered a major setback in March 2022 when he tore the ACL in his left knee during a match against his former club Köln. The injury kept him sidelined until January 2023, and naturally, there were fears over how it might affect his career.
As it turned out, those concerns were quickly put to rest. Wirtz contributed 12 goal involvements (4 goals, 8 assists) in just 25 appearances in the second half of the 2022-23 season. Remarkably, only Jeremie Frimpong and Moussa Diaby (10 each) managed more assists for Leverkusen across the entire campaign, despite Wirtz missing half of it.
By the time Wirtz returned, Xabi Alonso had taken charge, setting the stage for an unforgettable 2023-24 season. Under Alonso’s guidance, Leverkusen made history by winning their first-ever Bundesliga title — becoming the first German top-flight team to go unbeaten through a whole league season. They also lifted the DFB-Pokal and reached the Europa League final, with defeat to Atalanta marking their only loss in any competition that season.
Wirtz played a central role in that unprecedented success, delivering 18 goals and 19 assists in 47 appearances. He was the only player across Europe’s top five leagues to reach at least 16 goals and 16 assists in all competitions during 2023-24, firmly dispelling any doubts about lingering injury effects.
Although the following season didn’t quite match those dizzying heights, largely due to Bayern’s resurgence and a Champions League exit at the last-16 stage, Wirtz still impressed. He ended the campaign with 16 goals and 14 assists in all competitions, with only Mohamed Salah (18) and Lamine Yamal (13) registering more than his 12 open-play assists among players in Europe’s top five leagues.
With Wirtz now seen as one of Europe’s premier talents, a summer move has long felt inevitable. That next chapter could see him head to Merseyside to work under new Liverpool boss Arne Slot. He’s also become a key figure for Germany, netting twice in five appearances at Euro 2024. His dramatic equaliser against Spain in the quarter-finals made him Germany’s youngest-ever goalscorer in a European Championship knockout game, and he followed that up with three more goals during the UEFA Nations League group stage.
Wirtz’s Numbers Highlight Elite Creativity and Game Intelligence
What stands out most from Wirtz’s data is his relentless forward-thinking approach, both in possession and in his movement off the ball. This season, he ranked eighth in the Bundesliga for progressive passes (155) — defined as completed open-play passes in the attacking two-thirds that advanced the ball at least 25% closer to goal. Additionally, Wirtz received the third-most progressive passes (232) in the league, comfortably ahead of any of the seven players who played more minutes than him.
This continues a trend from the previous campaign, where he ranked third in both progressive passes made and received across the Bundesliga. For a No. 10 who operates predominantly between the lines, it’s a testament to his intelligence and ability to keep advancing play in dangerous areas at such a young age.
Once on the ball in these spaces, Wirtz’s creativity shines through. He averaged 2.1 open-play chances created per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga (minimum 1,000 minutes), more than any of his Bayer teammates. For comparison, only Mohamed Salah (2.3) averaged more for Liverpool in the Premier League.
With Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure raising questions about Liverpool’s creative outlets, Wirtz’s profile offers reassurance. While they operate in different roles, the two players were strikingly similar in league action this past season for touches (86.9 vs. 87.9) and passes per 90 (60.8 vs. 61.2). Crucially, Wirtz outperformed the now-Real Madrid full-back in open-play chance creation (2.1 vs. 1.6 per 90) and expected assists (0.36 vs. 0.28).
Wirtz also excels at driving forward with the ball. He completed the fourth-most carries (549) in the Bundesliga this season — defined as moving five metres or more with the ball — and provided five assists from such carries, second only to Wolfsburg’s Mohammed Amoura (6). Additionally, he attempted (165) and completed (82) more dribbles than any other player in the Bundesliga across 2024-25.
When it comes to finishing, Wirtz combines creativity with precision. Among players who attempted at least 50 shots in the Bundesliga this season, he was one of only three to hit the target with at least half of his efforts (39 of 78 — 50%).
Despite Leverkusen’s bitter Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern Munich, Wirtz consistently delivered on the European stage. He claimed the UEFA Player of the Match award in five of Leverkusen’s 10 games, scoring six goals — with only Álex Grimaldo (2) managing more than one alongside him. Wirtz also led the team for chances created (25) and progressive carries (80) in the competition, underlining his importance both domestically and in Europe.
Relentless Work Rate and Impressive Parallels with De Bruyne
Wirtz isn’t just a threat with the ball — he also contributes significantly when his team is out of possession. During the 2024-25 season, he averaged 1.25 high turnovers per 90 minutes across all competitions, the highest in the Bundesliga among players with at least 1,500 minutes played. Over the past two Bundesliga campaigns, he has won possession in the opponent’s final third 71 times, at least 15 more than any other player.
In the Champions League, Wirtz led Leverkusen in pressures with 679 — a staggering 246 more than the next closest teammate, Jeremie Frimpong (423). For context, Liverpool’s Dominik Szoboszlai made 456 pressures in the same competition before their exit at the same stage.
This impressive off-the-ball work rate aligns perfectly with Liverpool’s style. The Reds recorded the joint-most goals from high turnovers in the Premier League during the 2024-25 season.
Comparing player metrics, we matched Wirtz against the very player Manchester City reportedly aimed to replace this summer — Kevin De Bruyne. Their statistical output was remarkably similar across most categories. While this comparison reflects the recent season, showing De Bruyne slightly past his peak and Wirtz ascending, it’s a clear sign of the German’s impressive potential and capability.
Where Could Wirtz Fit into Liverpool’s Lineup?
Primarily, Wirtz has played as an inside forward or “number 10” drifting from the left side of the pitch under Xabi Alonso at Leverkusen. Although he isn’t a carbon copy of Liverpool’s current left-wingers Cody Gakpo or Luis Díaz, Wirtz’s close control, dribbling, and ability to whip in inswinging crosses to the far post — where a hungry Mohamed Salah typically lurks — suggest he could thrive in a similar role. The possible arrival of Bournemouth’s Milos Kerkez as left-back hints that much of the width on that flank would come from the full-back, allowing Wirtz freedom to drift inside.
Theoretically, Wirtz could also operate as a central forward. While not a traditional striker, he could fill a role similar to how manager Arne Slot used Díaz up front this past season. The idea of Wirtz dropping deep to link midfield and create space for wide forwards could evoke memories of Roberto Firmino’s impact at Liverpool, after his success as a number 10 with Hoffenheim.
Given the reported transfer fee, it’s likely Wirtz’s main role would be as a number 10 — even though Álex Grimaldo Szoboszlai has shown promise in a similar attacking midfield position this season. After a modest debut campaign (five goal involvements in 33 league games), Szoboszlai stepped up with 12 goal involvements (6 goals, 6 assists) in 36 Premier League matches, often playing higher up the pitch.
Slot himself expressed in September a desire for Szoboszlai to increase his goal contributions due to his more advanced role:
“I think something that we have to work on with him is that he’s also even more involved in scoring goals and creating chances for us,” the Dutch coach said.
“Last season he scored three [in the league] if I remember correctly and for an attacking midfielder at Liverpool, his numbers need to go up.”
Wirtz, with 44 goal involvements (21 goals, 23 assists) in 63 Bundesliga games over two seasons, would bring a bigger goal threat — though this doesn’t necessarily mean Szoboszlai would be sidelined. Slot deployed Szoboszlai in a deeper midfield role during Liverpool’s recent loss to Brighton, a game in which the Hungarian midfielder scored (albeit somewhat accidentally). The manager noted that Szoboszlai prefers that deeper position, so it could become a more frequent tactical setup next season.
Wirtz was also more involved in his role at Leverkusen, averaging 86.9 touches per 90 minutes compared to Szoboszlai’s 59.9 at Liverpool. While Wirtz tends to drift to the left to find space, Szoboszlai prefers the right side — meaning Slot could potentially deploy them together with a single pivot behind them.
You might be tempted to dub him ‘Wirtz-atile’ for his versatility — but let’s not. That’s a bit much.
On a lighter note, Wirtz took to Instagram recently to dismiss rumors that he would demand Alexis Mac Allister’s iconic number 10 shirt if he joined Liverpool. Regardless of which number he wears, Reds supporters will be hoping Wirtz can take their midfield creativity and goal threat up a notch — turning the reigning English champions up to 11.
Read More: Running, Finishing, and Fierce Competition: Why Chelsea Secured The Signing of Liam Delap
FAQs
Why is Liverpool interested in Florian Wirtz?
Talented German attacking midfielder, Florian Wirtz known for his creativity, goal contributions, and work rate. Liverpool see him as a key addition to strengthen their midfield and attacking options.
What position would Wirtz likely play at Liverpool?
Wirtz would most likely play as a number 10, operating between the lines, but he could also feature on the left side or even as a central forward, similar to how Liverpool has used players like Luis Díaz and Roberto Firmino.
How does Wirtz’s playing style compare to current Liverpool midfielders?
Wirtz’s creativity, dribbling, and ability to create chances place him as a more direct goal threat compared to players like Álex Grimaldo or Szoboszlai, while his off-the-ball work rate aligns with Liverpool’s pressing style.
What makes Wirtz’s transfer fee potentially a record for Liverpool?
Bayer Leverkusen reportedly value Wirtz around £126 million (€150m), a figure that would break Liverpool’s previous transfer records and reflect his high potential and proven impact at a young age.
How has Wirtz performed since recovering from his ACL injury?
Since returning from a knee injury in January 2023, Wirtz has been impressive, contributing goals and assists consistently and playing a pivotal role in Leverkusen’s historic Bundesliga title win and deep European runs.
