Liverpool risk losing £116m gamble as Bayern eye Wirtz

Liverpool confirmed they paid around £116 million to bring German midfielder Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen to Anfield in the summer of 2025. The 23‑year‑old arrived as a record‑breaking signing for the Reds, who were reshaping the squad after a massive summer outlay.

The summer saw Liverpool invest over £400 million overall, underlining their ambition to compete at the highest level. Bayern Munich and Manchester City were reported to be monitoring Wirtz, making the acquisition a major coup for the club.

Why Liverpool splurged on Wirtz

Wirtz struggled to adapt, managing five goals and three assists in 33 Premier League appearances last term. Those figures highlighted the gap between his reputation and his output in England.

The dip in form sparked rumours that Bayern Munich could lure him back in the summer, with the German giants linked to a potential transfer.

European football journalist Kevin Hatchard warned that Liverpool would be ‘crazy’ to let the player go. He told:

“What always comes back at me is the usual ‘Farmers’ League’, the standard isn’t good enough etc, etc. But there are plenty of players who’ve made that leap from the Bundesliga to the Premier League successfully. Guys like Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Roberto Firmino, of course, at Liverpool and I just think he’s so talented. He’s so technically gifted that it’s worth sticking with him. … But I still think he’s a top player. I still think you’ve got a guy who is only 23 and he’s packed a lot into his career at 23 already. So I think it would be crazy for Liverpool to give up on him. I still think there’s a very, very good player in there.”

Former Manchester United scout Mick Brown argued that Bayern Munich’s style would suit Wirtz better. He told Football Insider that the player “has seemingly struggled to adapt to the Premier League” and would likely jump at a chance to return to Germany.

Across all competitions Wirtz has now recorded seven goals and 11 assists in 55 appearances, though he has only one assist in six outings this season. A poor showing against Bournemouth on Sunday saw him register the lowest passing accuracy of any Liverpool player in the first half, prompting Jamie Carragher to caution fans against expecting much more.

What the future could hold for Liverpool and Wirtz

Wirtz will not turn 24 for another eight months and will be 27 when his current deal expires. He has already amassed 252 senior club appearances, including 140 Bundesliga games for Bayer Leverkusen where he notched 35 goals and 47 assists.

The German made his senior debut for Germany at 18 under Hansi Flick in 2021 and has since earned 45 caps with 11 goals. He remains in Jürgen Klopp’s squad for the upcoming fixtures against Serbia and Greece.