Premier League fans will need to study up on the 'genius' that is Florian Wirtz as speculation surrounding his future ramps up.

talkSPORT understands that Liverpool have held talks with the Bayer Leverkusen star's family ahead of a potential summer move.

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Wirtz could follow in his manager Alonso's footsteps by heading to AnfieldCredit: Getty

However, they face stern competition from Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

Florian Wirtz: Why Liverpool could see £126m transfer as a game-changer	and#8216;Not how we actand#8217; and#8211; Mohamed Salah slams Liverpool fansand#8217; treatment of Trent Alexander-Arnold	How Liverpool can still sign Man City’s top target Florian Wirtz

Pep Guardiola is a huge fan of the versatile attacker, while Bayern are confident he will leave Leverkusen for the Allianz.

If he were to move to the Premier League, it would be a British record transfer fee of roughly £126 million.

The current Premier League record is Moises Caicedo from Brighton to Chelsea, but this would beat that, and there is a good reason why these three teams want Wirtz.

Read more on Wirtz

The German international is the youngest in a family of 12, and he has nine siblings, all of whom play football, except Marie.

His sister, Juliane, plays professional football for Werder Bremen, while his father, Hans-Joachim, is the chairman of Grun-Weiss Brauweiler.

The Wirtz family spent so much time at the club that they didn't feel the need to have a TV at home until Euro 2016.

Instead, they just watched football in the clubhouse.

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Wirtz is one of the best young attacking players in the worldCredit: Getty

Wirtz joined Leverkusen in 2016 as a 16-year-old, rejecting the advances of Bayern and Hoffenheim.

It didn't take him long to make his debut as Peter Bosz threw Wirtz into the Bundesliga when he just turned 17 in May 2020.

However, he wasn't just in demand on the pitch, as the then-teenager continued to juggle his school work alongside his football.

Seven months after his Bundesliga debut, Wirtz was left out of Leverkusen's squad for a 4-0 Europa League win over Slavia Prague due to an impending school exam.

"I have to admit that it is exhausting managing both at the same time.

But I realise that I don't have much time left in my studies and I cannot give up so close to the end," Wirtz said in an interview with the German FA in 2021.

His absence wasn't the first time Leverkusen have had to manage without a promising young player in Europe because of school, with Kai Havertz sitting out a Champions League last-16 second leg against Atlético Madrid for the same reason three years earlier.

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Liverpool are eyeing a double swoop for Wirtz and FrimpongCredit: Getty

Wirtz previously told Leverkusen's official website: "Of course, Kai is a role model.

"I was particularly impressed with his first contact with the ball, and it was better than anybody else in the team.

"That enabled him to take virtually every chance in front of goal, and he was able to position himself perfectly to receive good balls."

Havertz's transfer to Chelsea, and then latterly Arsenal, opened the door for Wirtz to cement his spot as the club's new No.10.

He has gone on to make 196 senior appearances for Leverkusen, scoring 57 times and setting up a further 65, which is more than a goal contribution per two matches.

What makes these statistics even more impressive is that in 2022, his career suffered a huge blow.

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Wirtz has been likened to former Leverkusen player Kai HavertzCredit: Getty

Wirtz tore the ACL in his left knee, ruling him out for nearly a year, but hasn't shown any lingering effects of the issue that has ruined the careers of many elite stars.

Since coming back from that injury, he's helped Leverkusen win the Bundesliga and play in the Champions League, contributing massively to both.

Unsurprisingly, his manager, Xabi Alonso, is a huge fan.

Speaking after a stunning goal in December 2024 against St Pauli, Alonso said: "He is a special player for us.

That's his genius, his moment.”

That mentality was put under strain when he came in for teasing from fans about his love for plain potatoes.

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Alonso has enjoyed working with WirtzCredit: Getty

In a video with the German national team's social media last year, Wirtz was asked to rank types of potato dishes and ranked a plain baked potato as his first choice.

Speaking to kicker, the attacker said: I don't find it entertaining.

"It doesn't bother me, but at some point, it gets to the point where it's not that funny anymore."

What is no laughing matter are the comparisons to England and Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham.

Former West Ham and Chelsea ace Joe Cole believes the two have similarities.

Speaking during Leverkusen's Europa League run during the 2023/24 season, he said: I’ve watched him three times this year now and he’s blown me away every time.

“He’s got a South American flair with a German efficiency about him.
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