Leverkusen and Liverpool reach breakthrough in Wirtz negotiations
The transfer of Florian Wirtz to Liverpool FC is reportedly just a formality now.
According to Kicker, Bayer Leverkusen and the Premier League champions have reached an advanced stage in negotiations, with "no serious doubts" remaining about the deal.
Advertisement
A breakthrough was reportedly reached on Friday, with a final agreement on a deal worth around €150 million said to be imminent.
Wirtz is expected to sign a contract with Liverpool through 2030, earning an annual salary of €20–22 million.
The Reds beat out strong competition from Manchester City, Real Madrid as well as Bayern Munich, who were long considered frontrunners for the 22-year-old.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Report: Liverpool weigh £30m sale as Brentford and others show interest
Ben Doak and Liverpool's £30m Opportunity: Smart Business or Short-Sighted Sale? Transfer Turbulence Around Young Talent Liverpool's summer activity has been relentless, with deals flowing in and out of the club in rapid succession. The latest transfer spotlight, however, is fixed on 19-year-old Ben Doak, a name that barely registered with the casual fan last summer but now finds himself a £30m-rated target for a trio of Premier League clubs. Advertisement Per the Hounslow Herald, Brentford are keen to add Doak to a growing collection of ex-Liverpool talent, having already secured the signatures of Caoimhin Kelleher, Sepp van den Berg and Fabio Carvalho over the past two summers. But they're not alone. Crystal Palace and Brighton have reportedly entered the fray, a development that significantly strengthens Liverpool's hand. Sale May Fund Big-Name Targets Liverpool's motivation is clear. While they've already welcomed Jeremie Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen and bid farewell to Trent Alexander-Arnold and Kelleher, bigger targets are on the radar. Chief among them is Florian Wirtz. Liverpool to recoup funds to help fund Wirtz and more. With the club still engaged in talks over Milos Kerkez and potentially a striker, Doak's sale could serve a broader strategic purpose. His potential may be considerable, but in a summer of reshaping, even promising youth might be considered expendable to fund marquee arrivals. Market Value and Timing Work in Liverpool's Favour Doak's value, and the timing of this interest, place Liverpool in an advantageous position. Ipswich Town had tried in January, but the Reds didn't want to sell. The mood seems to have shifted, and rightly so. The competition between Brentford, Brighton and Crystal Palace all but guarantees a fee close to the full £30m. Photo IMAGO Given that Doak's 2024/25 campaign was hampered by injury after a strong loan stint at Middlesbrough, it's a bold valuation—but not unrealistic. There's enough performance data, promise and Premier League readiness to justify it, particularly in a summer when even mid-table clubs have serious money to spend. Development Versus Immediate Value Selling Doak would be another sign that Liverpool are prioritising short-term gains and proven quality over longer-term squad depth and player development. That may be a calculated risk worth taking, but it will only pay off if their reinvestments—particularly in the Wirtz deal—yield immediate returns. Advertisement It's a recurring theme under Fenway Sports Group: buy low, develop smart, and sell high. In this case, it might be more about selling smart and buying elite. Our View – Anfield Index Analysis There's no doubt Ben Doak has something about him. Pacey, direct, and fearless—he looks every inch a player suited to Arne Slot's dynamic football. His performances at Middlesbrough hinted at serious potential, and despite injury setbacks, most Liverpool fans would have liked to see him get a proper run in the first team before decisions are made. That said, £30m is no small change for a player who's still largely unproven at Premier League level. If that money helps secure someone like Florian Wirtz, a generational talent who could redefine Liverpool's attacking play, then it becomes more palatable. But it always stings to see homegrown or carefully scouted youth sold on just before they might explode. Advertisement Brentford, Brighton and Palace are all clubs with smart recruitment and solid coaching. If any of them land Doak, he'll probably thrive. The worry then is hindsight. If he becomes a star elsewhere, fans will question why we didn't show more patience. Still, given the bigger picture and financial pragmatism required to stay competitive in the modern game, this looks like a sale Liverpool can afford to make—but only if they get the rest of their summer business absolutely right.
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
49ers center earns amazing compliment from his position coach
The San Francisco 49ers had a rough season in 2024, finishing with in fourth place in the NFC West with a 6-11 record. Their .353 winning percentage was their worst since 2018 when they went 4-12 (.250), which somehow still wasn't bad enough to land in last in the division. While not much went right for the 49ers last year, they did get some great player up front, especially from center Jake Brendel. The former UCLA Bruin, who originally joined the team back in 2020 but opted out to COVID-19, entered his third season as the starting center and had a great year. Advertisement Pro Football Focus gave him a 65.0 overall grade, ranking him 23rd out of 64 qualified centers. He also earned a 71.6 run-blocking grade (13th) and a 55.1 pass-blocking grade (51st). However, when it comes to the grades from 49ers offensive line coach Chris Foerster, Brendel was the best of the best. 'Fewest amount of missed assignments," Foerster said. "His pass protection was the highest grade, his run blocking grade, pass blocking grade, and his mental errors were the best they've been since he's been here. They've been better than any center that we've had playing here up to this point.' Since Kyle Shanahan took over as the team's head coach, the 49ers have had Brendel, Weston Richburg and Alex Mack as their primary starting centers, and in Foerster's mind, this past season was the best yet. According to SIS Data Hub, Brendel had just six blown blocks, which was the fewest of any 49ers offensive lineman in 2024. Advertisement Foerster took some issue with the center's PFF grade, saying that they're grading without context. "It's interesting how he's rated outside of the 32 centers by whatever the grading system is. But I'm not knocking it, because my point is that everybody looks at something different," Foerster told 49ers writer Jake Hutchinson. "So you can knock what I look at and say, 'Oh, you don't know what you're talking about.' That's fine. I know what we asked him to do on every given play and what his role is, what his job is, so I can grade it." As the 49ers prepare for 2025, Brendel is set to enter his four season as the team's starting center, and if he plays the way he did down the stretch, that should be a strong base for the offense to build on to make it back to the postseason again. More 49ers: 49ers wide receivers coach says rookie has 'it' factor they're looking for This article originally appeared on Niners Wire: 49ers center Jake Brendel receives tremendous respect from his coach


Washington Post
12 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Sabalenka rues another missed chance against Gauff in French Open final: 'This one hurts so much'
PARIS — While Coco Gauff was taking selfies on Court Philippe-Chatrier to celebrate her triumph on the Parisian clay, her opponent on the other side of the umpire's chair was filled with anger and sadness. As Roland-Garros officials prepared the court for the trophy ceremony, Aryna Sabalenka sat with her gaze lost in the distance before she took a towel and covered her face. And when it finally came time to speak, Sabalenka was silent for a long moment, as if on the verge of tears.