Liverpool 'taking last steps' to seal £169m double deal with Reds 'on verge' of 'historic' transfer

Liverpool are closing in on deals for Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz and Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez, according to reports.

The Reds have flown out of the blocks in the summer transfer market after Arne Slot’s side won the Premier League title in the Dutchman’s first season.

Liverpool are now looking to build on that success with their early Champions League qualification allowing them to know their budget before any other side in the Premier League.

Jeremie Frimpong was their first signing of the summer when his transfer from Bayer Leverkusen was confirmed last week, with the Netherlands international to replace Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is on his way to Real Madrid.

And now it looks like two more players are about to follow after the latest updates with Leverkusen’s Wirtz and Bournemouth’s Kerkez now close to joining Frimpong at Anfield.

Liverpool are looking to improve at left-back as that became one of their weak links this season with Andy Robertson not on top form under Slot.

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And now journalist Rudy Galetti has claimed that Liverpool are ‘taking the last steps’ to seal a deal for Kerkez with the Hungary international set to join for €50m (£42m).

Galetti wrote on X: “Liverpool are taking the last steps for Milos Kerkez.

“The deal is almost sealed between Liverpool and Bournemouth for ~€50m plus performance-related bonuses as a final fee.

“A five-year contract was already agreed upon with the player days ago.”

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And German publication Bild claim that Wirtz ‘has already agreed terms’ on a contract until 2030 with Liverpool and that it’s just down to the two clubs to agree a fee.

It is understood that the ‘deal could ultimately amount to a sum between 140 and the 150 million euros (£118m-£127m) demanded by Leverkusen boss Fernando Carro’.

Liverpool are now ‘on the verge’ of a ‘historic’ transfer with the deal set to break the Premier League record set when Chelsea paid £106.8m for Enzo Fernandez in January 2023.

Both Liverpool and Leverkusen ‘want to finalise the transfer as quickly as possible under their desired terms’ and the report gives the German side an ‘advantage’ as they know FSG’s CEO of football, Michael Edwards, ‘has already received approval from the club’s owners in Boston for €150 million (£127m) for Wirtz’.

Jamie Carragher reckons Liverpool “need five or six players” this summer including the deals for Frimpong, Wirtz and Kerkez.

Carragher said on The Overlap: “Throughout the season, I was still saying that Liverpool still need five or six players.

“I think the left-back comes in and plays straight away, Frimpong will fight with Conor Bradley, Wirtz will play when he comes to the club. But I still think we need a centre forward. I think Liverpool will look to get their business done pretty early.

“Liverpool need a left-back, Andy Robertson needs help on that side and Kostas Tsimikas will be moved on. I’ve always felt that attacking midfield and left-back are the two areas that have jumped out to me in the last 12 to 18 months.

“Whether Wirtz comes in and plays in Szoboszlai’s role or plays from the left, I don’t know. But the next one is centre forward and I wouldn’t be surprised if once Liverpool get these three [Frimpong, Wirtz, and the left-back] done, the next one will be a centre forward.

“As the window goes on, Liverpool will just see who they can sell and what they can do – they might bring in another midfield player or a centre-back to back up, but they’ll just assess what the situation is.”

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