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Bayer Leverkusen has made contact with Bournemouth over the possibility of signing Justin Kluivert this summer.

The Bundesliga club is in the market for a replacement for Florian Wirtz after Liverpool agreed a deal to sign the Germany international earlier this week.

Liverpool will pay a guaranteed £100 million ($135 million) for Wirtz, with a possible further £16 million ($22 million) to come if various add-on clauses are met.

That will give Leverkusen a hefty chunk of money to put towards a replacement for Wirtz, and talkSPORT reports that Bournemouth's Kluivert is on new boss Erik ten Hag's wishlist.

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Kluivert is said to be viewed as the "perfect profile" to replace Wirtz, although Bournemouth has no intention of selling the Netherlands international.

The Cherries are under little financial pressure to sell after offloading Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid, while Milos Kerkez could also leave amid interest from Liverpool Kluivert enjoyed a brilliant season with Bournemouth, registering 13 goals and eight assists in 39 appearances in all competitions.

Another player linked with replacing Wirtz at Leverkusen is Jack Grealish

Grealish has been at City since 2021 but he is expected to leave the club this summer, after being left out of Pep Guardiola's squad for this summer's revamped Club World Cup in the United States.

The 29-year-old is said to be open to return to former club Aston Villa, but the prospect of a move to the Bundesliga is on the table as Ten Hag is said to be a big fan of Grealish.



Justin Kluivert is being linked with a move to Bayer Leverkusen

Meanwhile, Liverpool staved off competition from the likes of Manchester City, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich to land Wirtz, with the Reds believing that Wirtz's decision to move to Anfield demonstrates his belief in what Arne Slot is building on Merseyside.

Liverpool has gained plaudits for its shrewd signings in the transfer market over the last decade or so, and while there will be a tendency from some to think that signing a player for a possible $157 million represents a departure from a tried-and-tested strategy, that is not believed to be the case.

While the fee is eye-watering, Liverpool views Wirtz as a long-term investment in the same way that the club viewed Alisson and Virgil van Dijk when it spent huge sums on those two players in 2018.

Alisson and Van Dijk have been crucial during a fruitful period for Liverpool, and the club is hopeful that Wirtz will have a similar impact to those two club legends.

Liverpool's lack of activity during the 2024 summer and 2025 winter transfer windows gave the club the wiggle room to be able to spend big on Wirtz.


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