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Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen reacts during the UEFA Champions League match at Liverpool on November 5 2024(Image: Chris Brunskill/Fantasista/Getty Images)

Nobody said transfers were easy.

Especially not given the amount Liverpool are willing to commit to make Bayer Leverkusen attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz their club record signing.

The Reds remain locked in talks with their Bundesliga counterparts aimed at ending the stalemate and realising the intention of the 22-year-old to link up with Arne Slot's Premier League champions.

Liverpool have seen a second bid worth €130million (£109m) rejected by Leverkusen, who are thus far steadfast in their insistence they want €150m (£125m) for a player who has rejected interest from both Manchester City and Bayern Munich in favour of Anfield.

READ MORE:Darwin Nunez transfer intrigue deepens as Liverpool wait on new offerREAD MORE:Florian Wirtz transfer latest as Liverpool next move clear after record offer rejected

There have been suggestions Leverkusen were willing to entertain acquiring a current Liverpool player as part of the package to help bridge the gap in valuation between the two clubs, with England under-21 starlets Harvey Elliott and Jarell Quansah the two most prominent names mentioned.

Leverkusen managing director of sport Simon Rolfes, though, is understood to not be keen on player-exchange deals.

And a glimpse at Liverpool's transfer history - in terms of both players bought and sold - suggests why heading down such a route would be considered unwise.

Indeed, for good reason have player swaps - whether direct or part-exchanges - been rare for the Reds, with none having been completed during the ownership of Fenway Sports Group.

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The most recent was on deadline day in August 2010 when, under Roy Hodgson, Liverpool agreed the transfer of Paul Konchesky for £3.5m with Academy duo Lauri Dalla Valle and Alex Kacaniklic valued at a combined £1.5m when going in the other direction.

Konchesky played only 18 games for Liverpool and was sold to Leicester City less than 12 months later after a loan spell at Nottingham Forest.

There were several player exchanges during the Rafael Benitez era.

Nunez's goal in the League Cup final defeat to Chelsea was his only strike in 27 appearances before joining Celta Vigo less than a year on.

Liverpool agreed to a direct swap that saw Jan Kromkamp arrive from Villarreal while Josemi went in the opposite direction, although the Dutchman played only 18 times before leaving less than eight months later.

Gabriel Paletta went to Boca Juniors in a deal in which Emiliano Insua's loan at Liverpool was made permanent, while John Welsh departed to Hull City in exchange for teenager Paul Anderson, who failed to make a senior breakthrough at Anfield.

And when Graeme Souness was in charge during the early stages of the Premier League, one of his more infamous transfers was sending David Burrows and Mike Marsh to West Ham United for Julian Dicks, who played just 28 times for the Reds before being jettisoned by Roy Evans.

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Of course, opening lines of communication with clubs over transfer can lead to further transfers.

While not portrayed as a swap, Ki-Jana Hoever went to Wolves in a £13.5m package on the same day Diogo Jota made the reverse journey for £45m.

And it was the same when Andy Robertson joined from Hull City in a £10m deal on the same day in July 2017 that Kevin Stewart switched to Humberside in a £8m package.

Liverpool remain confident they can thrash out an agreement to sign Wirtz.

But it would be a surprise if it involves a Reds player heading in the opposite direction.


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