Liverpool have completed the £100million club-record signing of Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen.
The deal for the 22-year-old Germany international could potentially become a British record as there are £16m of add-ons included, which would surpass the existing mark of £115m which Chelsea paid for Moises Caicedo in 2023.
It is understood Liverpool will be happy to pay these "aspirational bonuses" as it will mean they have enjoyed considerable success at elite level.
Wirtz has signed a five-year contract and the capture of one of Europe's most highly-rated talents is seen as a significant coup for the club having initially faced competition from Manchester City, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.
Leverkusen had valued Wirtz at £126m but a compromise was reached last week, although the up-front fee easily outstrips the £85m deal Liverpool agreed with Benfica in 2022 for Darwin Nunez, who is expected to leave this summer.
Wirtz is Liverpool’s second signing of the summer, following close friend and Leverkusen team-mate Jeremie Frimpong to Anfield, and with the Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Marmadashvilli joining next month after a deal was agreed a year ago spending has already reached £175m.
That is set to be pushed beyond the £200m mark with a £40m fee agreed for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.
It is their biggest summer window since 2018 when Naby Keita, Fabinho, Xherdan Shaqiri and Alisson Becker were recruited for around £170m, with Virgil van Dijk having signed for £75m the previous January.
Owners Fenway Sports Group have, despite their 'Moneyball’ reputation, not been afraid to splash out big fees for transformative players like Van Dijk and Alisson – and Wirtz falls into that category.
The club have already recouped around £26m with the departures of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Caoimhin Kelleher with further funds expected to be generated from the likes of Nunez, Harvey Elliott, Federico Chiesa and potentially Andy Robertson, who is a target for Atletico Madrid.
"I feel very happy and very proud. I was waiting for a long time – finally it’s done and I am really happy," Wirtz told the club’s website.
"I’m really excited to have a new adventure in front of me. This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League.
"I will see how I can perform there. I hope I can do my best. I spoke also with some players who played there and they told me that it’s perfect for me and every pitch is perfect, you can enjoy every game. I’m really looking forward to playing my first game.
"I would like to win everything every year! First of all, we have to do our work, I have to make my work.
"In the end, we want to be successful. Last season they won the Premier League so my goal is for sure to win it again and also to go further in the Champions League. I’m really ambitious."
Earlier it was confirmed, the club are set to take their summer spending to £185million after agreeing a £40m fee for Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.
The move has been touted for some time, with the Cherries holding out for £45m, but it is understood a compromise has been reached which will see the defender make the move to Anfield.
The 21-year-old is viewed as the long-term successor to Andy Robertson. The Scotland international, who is in the final year of his contract, is a target for Atletico Madrid but Liverpool will not force him out the door.
Kerkez will be the third signing of the close season, with Wirtz and Jeremie Frimpong already on board.
With Georgia goalkeeper Giorgi Marmadasvili set to join the squad when they reconvene next month, with a deal having been done with Valencia 12 months ago, head coach Arne Slot will have £215m of new talent available for the defence of their Premier League title.
And the incomings may not be finished there as, with Leverkusen interested in 22-year-old fourth-choice centre-back Jarell Quansah in a £34m deal entirely separate to the one sending Wirtz in the opposite direction, Liverpool will be on the look-out for another central defender.
Crystal Palace's England international Marc Guehi, who has a year left on his contract, is a player the club have been interested in but there will be other contenders for his signature.
