New Liverpool signing Florian Wirtz says his ambition is to “win everything every year” after completing a club-record £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen.
The 22-year-old Germany international has signed a five-year contract, keeping him at Anfield until at least 2030. He underwent a medical at Liverpool’s training base on Friday before sealing the switch.
The deal includes a guaranteed £100m, with a further £16m in potential add-ons.
If those add-ons are triggered, Wirtz’s transfer would become the most expensive in British football history, surpassing the £107m Chelsea paid for Enzo Fernandez in 2023.
It also breaks Liverpool’s previous record – the £75m they spent on Virgil van Dijk in 2018.
Wirtz arrives after a standout season with Leverkusen, where he scored 57 goals in 197 appearances.
He becomes Liverpool’s second major summer signing following the £29.5m arrival of Dutch full-back Jeremie Frimpong from Bundesliga runners-up Leverkusen.
“Last season they won the Premier League, so of course the goal is to win it again and to go deeper in the Champions League. I’m really ambitious,” said Wirtz. “This is a big new chapter for me.
I wanted a fresh challenge outside the Bundesliga and the Premier League is the perfect stage for me.”
“I spoke with a few players who’ve played here and they said it’s a great environment. Every pitch is top-class, every match is a thrill. I can’t wait to get started.”
What Wirtz Brings to Liverpool
Wirtz made his Bundesliga debut for Leverkusen at just 17 in May 2020 and quickly became the league’s youngest goalscorer at the time with a strike against Bayern Munich.
Since then, he has added 44 Bundesliga assists, ranking third among all players since his debut — despite being significantly younger than the rest of the top five.
Known for his vision, acceleration, and intelligent decision-making, Wirtz is one of the Bundesliga’s standout attacking midfielders.
He primarily plays as a number 10 but often drifts into wide areas, especially on the left.
Last season, he was statistically the league’s most effective dribbler — leading both in volume and success rate while carrying the ball forward.
German football expert Raphael Honigstein told BBC Radio 5 Live that Liverpool are getting “a superstar.”
“He’s more or less the finished article,” Honigstein said. “He understands pressure from playing for Germany and Leverkusen, but the Premier League will still be a test. Opponents will look to limit his influence, but he’s resilient and mature beyond his years.”
Wirtz became the youngest player to reach 50 Bundesliga appearances at just 18 years and seven months and has long been a key figure in the dressing room.
“He’s not the loudest,” said German football writer Constantin Eckner, “but even from early on, he had a commanding presence. He leads by example and others naturally follow.”
