He was speaking after the 22-year-old completed a £100 million transfer from Bayer Leverkusen, with a further £16.5 million in add-ons agreed.
The Premier League champions announced the capture of the highly rated German international on Friday, confirming the biggest transfer fee in the club’s history – and the largest ever paid by any English side.
The total package surpasses the £115 million Chelsea paid Brighton for Moisés Caicedo in 2023.
Wirtz has been one of the standout performers in European football over the last two seasons, delivering a string of consistently dazzling displays for Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga.
A dynamic attacking midfielder with an eye for both goal and assist, he hit double figures in both categories in back-to-back seasons.
He scored 10 goals and provided 11 assists in the 2024–25 campaign as Leverkusen finished second, behind Bayern Munich.
Speaking about his decision to choose Liverpool over several elite clubs, Wirtz said: “This is the right step for me. I want to play at the highest level, and Liverpool is a club with huge history and ambition. I’m excited for what lies ahead.”
Liverpool are understood to have beaten strong competition from Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Real Madrid for Wirtz’s signature.
Sources close to the negotiations said Anfield officials made a decisive pitch that convinced the player to make Merseyside his next home, rather than return to Bavaria where he began his youth career.
Wirtz made his senior debut for Leverkusen in 2020, becoming the youngest player in the club’s history to feature in a Bundesliga match at just 17. He quickly established himself as a central figure in their attack and a key asset for the German national team.
Known for his close control, spatial awareness and creative flair, he was voted Bundesliga Player of the Month multiple times and played a central role in Germany’s qualification for the 2024 European Championship.
A product of the FC Köln youth academy before moving to Leverkusen, Wirtz has often been compared to the likes of Kai Havertz and Mesut Özil, but his explosive acceleration and direct style have drawn admiration from a wide range of managers and pundits across the continent.
Wirtz’s move is expected to be formally announced by Liverpool following the completion of a medical and the finalisation of personal terms.
