Florian Wirtz: Liverpool make contact with Bayer Leverkusen

Liverpool have made initial contact with Bayer Leverkusen over a move for attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz.

The Germany playmaker is emerging as a primary target for Arne Slot as the Premier League champions already begin planning for next season.

Liverpool are set to sign Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen and the Anfield club registered their desire to sign 22-year-old Wirtz during those discussions.

Formal negotiations are still to get under way but that is expected to happen in due course for a player that is valued by the Bundesliga club at more than £120m.

It remains to be seen whether Liverpool would be willing to pay that sort of fee, which would eclipse the British transfer record fee of £107m Chelsea agreed with Benfica for Enzo Fernandez in 2023.

However, Liverpool have received encouragement that Wirtz is keen to join them, amid reports in Germany he prefers a move to Anfield over Bayern Munich.