Liverpool fans have been treated to an incredible year under the wing of Arne Slot, and it’s only going to get better, with FSG making serious moves in the overtures of the summer transfer window.
A deal for Jeremie Frimpong is being finalised, and the Bayer Leverkusen right-sider will join as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s ostensible replacement.
But it’s another of a Werkself persuasion who is slated to be the true heir to Trent’s playmaking position. Indeed, in a saga moving faster than Mohamed Salah in his heyday, Liverpool are now clear favourites to sign Florian Wirtz, who has rejected Bayern Munich in favour of a move to Anfield this summer.
With Manchester City previously withdrawing from consideration (perhaps because they knew he favoured Merseyside?), everything is in place for sporting director Richard Hughes to finalise a deal.
It would be a record signing for Liverpool, but it’s one which makes a whole lot of sense.
Why Liverpool need Florian Wirtz
A deal for Wirtz is almost done, as per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano. Liverpool won the Premier League this season, but they aren’t resting on their laurels.
Though Slot’s system still needs a reliable and out-and-out striker, this is a stunning coup that signals a statement of intent. Bayern and Man City both wanted Wirtz, but he chose Anfield.
And what a player. As per FBref, the 22-year-old ranks among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues this season for goal contributions, the top 7% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes and the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
His ability to manipulate space and wrongfoot opponents is second to none; moreover, Wirtz is remarkably switched on, always making the right call and demonstrating precision through his creativity and his ball-striking ability.
This season alone, Wirtz has scored 16 goals and provided 15 assists across all competitions for Leverkusen. Last term, he spearheaded an invincible Bundesliga triumph, earning the division’s Player of the Season award; he won the DFB-Pokal too.
He’s the real deal, all right, having been hailed as a “generational talent” by sports media professional Cristian Nyari. And Liverpool might even be gearing up to partner him with a thriving centre-forward.
Liverpool considering move for LaLiga star
As per Spanish sources, Liverpool are battling Bayern Munich for yet another high-profile signing, with the two powerhouses joining Arsenal in a bid to sign Julian Alvarez.
The Argentina star has been immense since joining Atletico Madrid last summer, and while the La Liga giants don’t want to sell, they would be tempted by offers reaching toward the €100m (£85m) mark.
It’s too early to say which direction this story will take in the coming weeks, but Liverpool bosses may feel they have a trump card in Darwin Nunez, a striker they hope to offload this summer and a player who has been reported to be on Los Colchoneros’ radar.
The report claims that the Reds are one of the clubs considering a move to sign the World Cup-winning marksman, and that they would be interested in including Nunez as part of a deal for the striker.
What Julian Alvarez would bring to Liverpool
Liverpool supporters know Alvarez well, for he won a shedload of silverware across two seasons with Manchester City before leaving for Atletico Madrid in a whopping £82m deal last summer.
That figure raised a few eyebrows, but Diego Simeone will certainly feel he has received bang for his buck after the Argentine’s prolific season, surpassing any of his individual success at the Etihad Stadium.
Alvarez’s fine-tuned clinical edge could actually see him leap over Wirtz as Liverpool’s most important signing of the summer, especially when considering the issues the club have been beset with at number nine this term, Nunez and Diogo Jota’s troubles leading Luis Diaz into a makeshift centre-forward role.
River Plate
122
54
31
Manchester City
103
36
19
Atletico Madrid
53
29
6
Argentina
44
12
33
Refocused into more of a goalscoring force than his times in England, Alvarez has been described as “the best forward in the world” this season by journalist Roy Nemer, having indeed reached the verge of the 30-goal mark in his first year in Spain.
Alvarez might be a prolific player, but that’s not why Liverpool have a vested interest, of course. As per FBref, the 5 foot 8 striker ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe this season for passes attempted and shot-creating actions, the top 7% for progressive passes, and the top 8% for progressive carries per 90.
This completeness and dynamism suggest Alvarez would be the perfect addition to Slot’s ranks, the perfect upgrade at number nine. He’s considered by FBref’s data-driven analytics to be a comparable player to Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, and would be far cheaper at that.
Securing the 25-year-old’s signature alongside Wirtz’s would represent a staggering coup for Liverpool, but given the need for a new striker, he would indeed prove the standout, not just a new goalscorer but a multi-faceted force to be reckoned with.
Alvarez has scored 17 goals in La Liga this season, and he has only missed seven big chances, as per Sofascore, bespeaking his newfound skill as an elite marksman.
Wirtz is going to be a stunning acquisition, for sure, but Liverpool are already relatively well stocked in their attacking midfield area, whereas up front there is a gaping hole for a reliable marksman.
If FSG manage to pull this one off after swiping Germany’s prized playmaker from the Bundesliga, beating Bayern to the finish line on both occasions, it speaks highly of Michael Edwards’ vision and Liverpool’s potential over the coming years.
Fans have rejoiced over the triumph in the Premier League this season, but you might say that success has merely scratched the surface of what this team is capable of.
Open to leaving: Liverpool “machine” would be finished if FSG sign Wirtz
Liverpool are going punch-for-punch with Bayern Munich in the fight to sign Florian Wirtz.
ByAngus Sinclair May 23, 2025