Liverpool wait on Wirtz transfer green light after private talks with the star

Liverpool are expected to be active in the upcoming summer transfer window and they have already been in contact with Florian Wirtz over a potential switch to Anfield.

Liverpool have joined Bayern Munich and Manchester City in the race for Florian Wirtz after contacting the Bayer Leverkusen star's camp to gauge his interest in a potential transfer this summer.

The sought after 22-year-old attacking midfielder has been linked with Bayern and City in recent months after another stellar season for Leverkusen under Xabi Alonso. Interest from the Reds is understood to be longstanding, with Liverpool ready to make significant moves in the summer transfer window to build upon their Premier League title triumph.

With Arne Slot and the club's recruitment team seeking reinforcements in attack, a potential swoop for Wirtz would tick a lot of boxes - if the Germany international is open to moving abroad.

As first revealed by The Athletic, contact between Liverpool and Wirtz's representatives was purely for the former to express interest in the player. It has been speculated Wirtz wants to stay at Leverkusen - or at the very least within the Bundesliga - but Liverpool are ready to pursue a deal if the player indicates he is open to a move to England.

Leverkusen are in a strong bargaining position if Wirtz does decide to move on; he is contracted to the club until 2027 and is believed to be valued at a seismic €150million (£126.2m) by the former German champions.

Wirtz has 10 goals and 12 assists to his name this season after starring in last year's title-winning campaign and is among a number of key figures Leverkusen could soon lose.

They are already aware that Alonso will move on at the end of the Bundesliga campaign with the former Real Madrid midfielder primed to replace the outgoing Carlo Ancelotti at his old stomping ground.

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Liverpool, meanwhile, are also interested in acquiring Jeremie Frimpong, the attacking right-back who many believe would be the perfect replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is also Bernabeu-bound.

The 24-year-old has a release clause written into his contract and there had been talk a deal was close earlier this week. Bayer Leverkusen's managing director, Fernando Carro, however, insists this is not the case.

"Jeremie Frimpong has a long contract with us, which also has an exit clause, but we are currently unaware of any transfer," Carro told sport.de. "The rumors surprised me a bit when I started in the football business seven years ago.

"As I've gradually become more involved, there are always different interested parties, there are different parties, there are different relationships. It's actually quite difficult to figure out where the rumors come from, but I have to say, there are many that really surprise me."

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