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A fee north of £115m would smash the British transfer record, set by Chelsea when they bought Moises Caicedo from Brighton in 2023 - a move Liverpool nearly hijacked.

It would be a bold statement of intent, particularly for a club that waltzed their way to the Premier League title in 2024/25.

Wirtz's flair and vision are seen as the missing piece in a midfield already boasting Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch - and the Reds clearly believe he could propel the team to new heights.



It looks like Liverpool will have to break the British transfer record to sign Wirtz(Image: Getty Images)Article continues below

Yet, such a colossal outlay would stretch even Fenway Sports Group's (FSG) deep pockets, potentially curbing funds for other targets, such as a new centre forward.

The 24-year-old Liverpool academy graduate has impressed with his dynamism and versatility, catching Leverkusen's eye in the past few months.

Including Jones in the deal could significantly reduce Wirtz's eye-watering fee, making the transfer more palatable for Liverpool's accountants and sparing Wirtz the strain of being a record buy.

10 in favour of strengthening their attack.

Liverpool have the option of selling Cody Gakpo to Bayern Munich to raise funds for the Florian Wirtz deal(Image: Getty Images)

The Bundesliga champions are set to lose Leroy Sane this summer, and view Gakpo as an ideal replacement: a natural goalscorer capable of operating both on the wings and centrally to provide cover for Harry Kane.

This maturity may help to explain Liverpool's willingness to shatter the British transfer record to sign him.

Owners FSG reportedly greenlit a mega-money approach last month after chief executive Michael Edwards travelled to the US to personally present the case for Wirtz's value.

They must choose between shattering the British transfer record, sacrificing Gakpo to Bayern, or using Jones as a bargaining chip with Leverkusen.

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Wirtz's U-turn has handed the Reds a golden opportunity, but with Leverkusen's steely resolve - and Bayern still lurking in the background - the stakes remain sky-high.
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