Liverpool boost as Edwards ‘receives approval’ from FSG to meet Wirtz asking price after £110m rejection
Liverpool have been given the green light from their owners to meet Bayer Leverkusen’s €150m (£127m) asking price for Florian Wirtz, according to reports.
The Reds have flown out of the blocks in the summer transfer window with Arne Slot completing his first deal last week.
Jeremie Frimpong sealed a £29.5m move from Bayer Leverkusen with the Netherlands international signing a six-year contract at Liverpool.
Liverpool have since turned their attention elsewhere with deals for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez and Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Wirtz.
The Reds are ‘expected to place a formal bid’ for Kerkez’s services in the coming days after he already agreed to personal terms, while Liverpool have had two offers rejected by Leverkusen for Wirtz.
Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg revealed on Monday that the Reds’ second offer for Wirtz was ‘not accepted in its current form’.
READ: Champions League prize money table revealed: Liverpool earnings cover most of Wirtz fee
Plettenberg wrote on X: ‘Not much has changed: the second offer for Florian #Wirtz was not accepted in its current form, which is why, as reported, there was still no agreement a few days ago. Negotiations are ongoing. Both teams want a quick agreement, Leverkusen have a different overall package in mind than the one currently being offered by Liverpool. #LFC’
But German publication Bild insist that the fee is ‘where the problem still lies’ despite the Premier League champions offering ‘a massive total package of just over €130m (£110m)’.
The report outlines that Liverpool ‘has entered the negotiations at a high level, an agreement is still a long way off’ with ‘no agreement between Bayer and Liverpool, nor is Wirtz’s medical completed’.
The Reds are attempting to ‘push the total package down to €135m’ while the Bundesliga outfit are ‘still gambling on the desired sum of €150m (£127m)’.
MORE LIVERPOOL COVERAGE ON F365…
👉 Liverpool have moved on from The Coutinho Money to fund transfer masterplan through bank of Brentford
👉 Liverpool cut-price Wirtz deal to be completed as Leverkusen leverage ‘destroyed’ by agent as ‘bluff’ fails
👉 Liverpool star sets Barcelona ‘deadline’ to sign him as partner appears to bid farewell to Reds fans
Liverpool and Leverkusen both ‘want to finalize the transfer as quickly as possible’ and it is claimed that Michael Edwards – who is now the CEO of football for Fenway Sports Group – has ‘already received approval from the club’s owners in Boston for €150m for Wirtz’.
Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann would approve of a move to Liverpool but insists he hasn’t influenced Wirtz’s transfer decision this summer.
Nagelsmann told Sky Sport Deutschland: “He texted me. We exchanged a few messages.
“I tried to give him tips to the best of my knowledge and belief, but I told him I can’t make the decision for him because my opinion is not necessarily the right one. The final decision is his.
“I didn’t rule out any club, I just tried to explain things to him and give him tips.
“I’m excited to find out about his decision. We always hear that things are done. It was also said with Bayern before that it was done. Let’s wait.”
On a move to Liverpool, Nagelsmann added: “You can look at it from different points of view. In the end, every player has to decide for himself.
“It’s not official, but if it’s Liverpool, then it’d be a very good step because he can play in his position, a great environment, great club.
“Bayern wouldn’t have been a bad option either. It would’ve been good to have them [Wirtz and Musiala] playing together, but Jamal and Flo can get on well together even if they’re not at the same club.
“The most important thing is that he plays and continues to develop. If he feels that he would be better off at Liverpool, then he has to do it.”
