Wirtz to Liverpool transfer takes twist as new Bayer Leverkusen statement issued

Florian Wirtz's impending move to Liverpool looks set to be at the centre of a dispute between Bayer Leverkusen and Koln following comments from Koln president Werner Wolf

Liverpool are closing in on a deal for Florian Wirtz, but the entire saga could drag on for a while after Koln sent a message to Bayer Leverkusen. Liverpool have made two bids for Wirtz, with Leverkusen holding out for £126million.

An agreement is expected to be reached between the two parties, though, with Wirtz having made it clear that he wants to move to Anfield. However, things have now become slightly more complicated after a statement from Koln president Werner Wolf.

Wirtz joined Koln's youth setup in 2010 before making a controversial switch to Leverkusen in January 2020. After Koln signed 12-year-old prospect Marco Quotschalla from Leverkusen in 2001 by offering him an eight-year deal, the two rivals and Borussia Monchengladbach came to a gentleman's agreement.

The three clubs agreed not to try and poach each other's young talent, although that was limited to academy prospects and not first-team players. When Leverkusen signed a then 17-year-old Wirtz in 2020, Koln felt they had broken the agreement.

However, Leverkusen claimed they had not as they viewed Wirtz as a first-team player and the midfielder ended up making his senior debut for the club five months after signing for them. Now that Wirtz is on the verge of completing a big-money move to Liverpool, Koln are due to receive a portion of the fee.

And according to a report from BILD, the situation is set to become a 'million-dollar dispute' after comments from the club's president. "Of course, we are looking into it," Wolf said on Radio Cologne.

"We know what we are entitled to and will fight for it. We're looking at this with both eyes. We'll benefit from it. The higher the sum Liverpool is willing to pay, the better for us."

According to FIFA's rules, any club that has played a role in a player's development between the age of 12 and 23 will receive five per cent of any transfer fee as 'training compensation' and Wirtz was at Koln for nine-and-a-half years from the age of seven.

As a result, Koln could be due around £6.3m if Liverpool end up paying Leverkusen's £126m asking price and it is claimed that they are set to engage with the FIFA Clearing House to ensure they receive the highest payout possible.

Koln are said to be planning to argue that Wirtz's 'training' period concluded long before he turned 23 as he debuted for Leverkusen at 17 and made his full international debut for Germany when he was 18.