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Andy Robertson believes Liverpool’s pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz exhibits the membership’s ambition to construct on their Premier League title win final season.
In keeping with widespread studies on Friday, Liverpool have agreed a deal to signal the Germany worldwide, which features a assured £100m preliminary payment and a possible additional £16m in add-ons.
Ought to the transfer be finalised, it could be a document payment paid by the Reds for a participant, surpassing the preliminary £64m and rising to a possible £85m with add-ons they paid Benfica for striker Darwin Nunez in 2022.
Manchester Metropolis had been eager on Wirtz earlier than cooling their curiosity due to the prices concerned within the deal, whereas Bayern Munich have been additionally linked with him.
Wirtz is believed to have made it clear that his desire was a transfer to Anfield, with Liverpool mentioned to have pushed to barter a deal which is under Leverkusen’s focused asking value of about £126m.
The 22-year-old has been a pivotal determine for Leverkusen just lately, scoring 38 objectives and offering 43 assists in 119 appearances beneath Xabi Alonso, who has since been appointed by Actual Madrid.
He helped the membership to their first ever Bundesliga title in 2023-24, in addition to the DFB-Pokal, following that up with 30 purpose involvements (16 objectives, 14 assists) in 45 appearances in all competitions for Leverkusen in 2024-25.
Wirtz is about to grow to be the second participant Liverpool have purchased from Bayer Leverkusen this summer time, with proper full-back Jeremie Frimpong having arrived in a £34m deal.
The Reds have additionally made a transfer for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez, with talks happening for a deal reportedly value between £45m-£50m.
Robertson, whose personal future at Anfield stays unsure, believes the anticipated arrival of Wirtz will solely add additional high quality to the present squad.
“He could be one other thrilling expertise by means of the door – we already have lots of thrilling expertise in there, however he’s a proper good participant and can solely assist us,” Robertson advised Sky Sports activities shortly earlier than it was reported {that a} payment had been agreed with Leverkusen.
“Simply now we’re on the prime, we clearly gained the league, and it’s necessary that the membership retains bettering and tries to seek out methods to do this.
“They [Liverpool] have clearly recognized sure positions the place they wish to get new blood in.
“The gamers we’re being linked with are all youthful gamers, and they’re all thrilling gamers as effectively. We wish the membership to be bold – they’re doing that.”
Robertson additionally recollects developing in opposition to Wirtz on the Euro 2024 final yr, with the Leverkusen ahead opening the scoring in Germany’s 5-1 thrashing of Scotland.
Certainly, on the age of 21 years and 42 days, Wirtz turned the youngest participant to attain for Germany on the European Championship.
The pair additionally clashed on this season’s Champions League first part, a sport Liverpool gained 4-0 because of Luis Diaz’s hat-trick again in November.
“He was glorious in opposition to us [Scotland], I do do not forget that,” the Liverpool full-back mentioned.
“Clearly, that sport was extraordinarily robust for us, however he was glorious. He was the one inflicting us issues – on the half area and operating in behind. He can combine it up.
“I haven’t seen an excessive amount of of him, however I’ve performed in opposition to him and I believe that was sufficient for me to see he was going to be a prime participant.
“After which, clearly, we performed Bayer Leverkusen within the Champions League as effectively.
“I believe we dominated that sport a bit extra, and it was a bit tougher [for him], however within the Germany crew in opposition to us, he was glorious.”
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