Florian Wirtz’s remarkable form for Bayer Leverkusen will have raised alarm bells across Europe’s top leagues.

Liverpool, certainly, are known to be admirers of the German international who has been instrumental in Xabi Alonso’s bid to bring silverware home to Die Werkself fans.

Fabrizio Romano, however, now reports that the player believes his best option is to stay put ‘for one more year, at least’ amid links with the Reds.

“Florian Wirtz has spoken about his future, suggesting that for now his plan is to remain at Bayer Leverkusen, and that’s my understanding as well – his full focus on Leverkusen and on the Euros,” the CaughtOffside columnist wrote. “There are currently no negotiations and sources close to the player believe the best option is to stay at Leverkusen for one more year, at least. Then never say never in football, but it’s very quiet so far.”

The 20-year-old has already amassed 28 goal contributions in 36 games (across all competitions) for the Bundesliga challengers this term.

FOLLOW Empire of the Kop on Instagram (@empireofthekop) HERE

READ MORE: Liverpool’s ‘outstanding’ 20-year-old seriously impressed int’l media with what he did on Friday

READ MORE: Liverpool’s next five Premier League games compared to Arsenal and Manchester City

Florian Wirtz could stay put for at least another season

The midfielder’s future at Leverkusen seems intricately tied to that of his manager.

Christian Falk reported for CaughtOffside back in February: “Florian Wirtz (20) is Alonso’s key player. He has complete freedom under his coach. For Wirtz it is clear: If Alonso stays, he will stay beyond 2024. But if Alonso goes to Liverpool in the summer, Wirtz could follow him.”

An intriguing scenario for Liverpool fans potentially should our old midfielder opt to take over the reins from Jurgen Klopp!

Whether we’d be prepared to commit an astronomical fee to securing Wirtz’s services, of course, remains to be seen.

We certainly have other priorities to tend to in the market, but it makes for an exciting link worth keeping an eye on.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Michael Edwards and a multi-club model, Alonso’s Liverpool-esque moment and much more!

The post What Fabrizio Romano’s sources are saying about Florian Wirtz and Liverpool appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool may have already lined up their first two potential signings under their next manager.

Should Xabi Alonso be the man to take the reins at Anfield come the end of the season, it’s certainly possible that he could look to Bayer Leverkusen to strengthen his new side.

HITC (as confirmed by the Mirror) reports that the Reds scouts were in attendance for the Bundesliga team’s shock 3-0 win over Bayern Munich, watching Piero Hincapie and Florian Wirtz.

READ MORE: Club’s sporting director says ‘incredible’ Liverpool target will likely leave them this summer

READ MORE: Reliable Hungarian journalist now posts updated Szoboszlai injury recovery timeframe

Moves that could make sense for Liverpool

Our need for a left-sided centre-back has been extremely well-documented in recent months.

Should we bring Alonso to the Anfield dugout this summer, defensive reinforcements are likely sought out with the Spaniard’s back-three at Leverkusen in mind.

Wirtz, as one of Europe’s most prominent young talents, will always earn links to the top outfits of the world.

His positional versatility will certainly appeal to a club potentially tasked with replacing Mo Salah at the end of the campaign (given his ability to play on both flanks of the front-three and mainly as an attacking midfielder).

Whether we’re keen to commit a potential nine-digit sum to land his signature remains to be seen.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Jurgen Klopp’s potential successors, reviewing Arsenal vs Liverpool and much more!

The post Liverpool’s first two signings under Xabi Alonso potentially clear after scouting expedition – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Owen Hargreaves has named one player for Xabi Alonso to try and bring to Liverpool if he’s named as Jurgen Klopp’s successor at Anfield.

The Bayer Leverkusen boss is believed to be among the frontrunners to take over from the 56-year-old at the end of this season (The Athletic), and he’s already had one potential signing recommended to him.

Speaking on Premier League Productions, the former England midfielder pinpointed one player from Alonso’s current side who could help the Reds to keep competing for major trophies.

TNT Sports pundit Hargreaves said: “I think the midfield balance is getting better. They will probably get a world-class defensive midfield player. All it needs is someone to come in.

“If Xabi comes in with Florian Wirtz, who is a brilliant young German player at Leverkusen, and they had a defensive midfield player, I think this Liverpool team could compete.”

READ MORE: ‘Just about do enough…’ – Chris Sutton thinks one team will edge it between Arsenal and Liverpool

READ MORE: Football finance expert claims Liverpool’s owners ‘would love to’ join revised Super League

Wirtz is a player who’s been linked intermittently with Liverpool over the past few months, and the 20-year-old has the makings of a phenomenal talent.

He already has 20 goals contributions in 26 games for Leverkusen so far this season, and 73 goals/assists in 129 outings for the club in total (Transfermarkt), a fantastic output for a playmaker so young.

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 1% of attacking midfielders in Europe’s five main leagues over the past year for passes (63.1) and assists (0.48) per game, while also featuring in the 93rd percentile for successful take-ons per 90 minutes with 3.48.

Wirtz would have some stiff competition to try and displace if he were to arrive at Liverpool later this year, but the potential presence of his current manager at Anfield may be enough of a factor to tempt him into a move, even though the Bundesliga leaders would reportedly demand upwards of £85m to sell him (Christian Falk).

The 20-year-old’s fate could be contingent on whether Alonso stays put at Leverkusen or takes on the challenge of replacing Klopp on Merseyside. We can likely expect to hear plenty more of his name over the coming months, especially if the Spaniard is brought back to LFC in a managerial guise.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Ousmane Diomande latest, what Klopp needs from next centre-back signing and much more!

The post TNT Sports pundit names ‘brilliant’ 20y/o he thinks Alonso should sign if he gets Liverpool job appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

With Liverpool still in all four competitions this term, the focus is naturally on ensuring Jurgen Klopp can bow out on a high.

In the meantime, the search for a replacement head coach continues, with Xabi Alonso perhaps the frontrunner in the hearts of many a Reds fan.

Hypothetically, whomever next walks in through the doors of the AXA training centre will probably want to revamp the squad to a certain degree.

READ MORE: Next Liverpool manager will face immediate seismic transfer exit threat upon arrival, says Ben Jacobs

READ MORE: Darwin Nunez might be unluckiest player in the league after telling stat emerges

What might a Xabi Alonso XI look like after the summer?

Two major priorities the Spaniard will be forced to address in varying degrees is the backline and the front-three.

The former has become increasingly less of a priority following the emergence of Jarell Quansah and Conor Bradley.

That said, there’s still an urgent need to reinforce the heart of the defence. Finding a long-term successor for Virgil van Dijk and further backup for Ibrahima Konate should be addressed.

Piero Hincapie

One man who could help plug a gap and look after the future of the defence might be left-sided centre-half Piero Hincapie.

The 22-year-old Ecuadorian can also do a job at left-back (should Alonso stick with a back four) and would otherwise be a reliable option in a back-three.

He’s previously been heavily linked with a move to Merseyside and could follow his current boss to L4.

Florian Wirtz

If this is to be Mo Salah’s last season (as Ben Jacobs suggests it might) we need to be looking at the next big thing.

Bayer Leverkusen’s 20-year-old Florian Wirtz would surely have to be at least close to the top of the shortlist.

The German international has already registered 20 goal contributions in 26 games this term, lighting up the Bundesliga.

He won’t come cheap, but if you’ve potentially got upwards of £150m in the bank from selling Salah, there aren’t many better options in world football worth betting big on.

Potential Liverpool XI: Alisson, Hincapie, Van Dijk, Konate, Robertson (or Curtis Jones?), Mac Allister, Szoboszlai, Trent, Diaz, Wirtz, Nunez

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Ousmane Diomande latest, what Klopp needs from next centre-back signing and much more!

The post How Liverpool’s post-summer window XI could look if Xabi Alonso succeeds Klopp – opinion appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

One journalist has warned Liverpool fans not to get their hopes up regarding transfer links with Bayer Leverkusen sensation Florian Wirtz.

The Reds are reportedly prepared to fight hard to land the 20-year-old (90min), and Ben Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT that an exit from the Bundesliga leaders could be ‘one to watch’ next summer.

However, speaking to EOTK Insider, Neil Jones voiced his scepticism of those rumours, adding that Jurgen Klopp’s side would need to fend off ‘fierce’ competition if they’re to win the race for the £86m-valued Germany international, whose value is ‘comparably rated to’ Arsenal’s Kai Havertz.

The journalist stated: “I would be very sceptical of the links between Liverpool and Florian Wirtz, just because there will be so much competition for him. He’s one of those players who is being primed, and indeed has been primed since he came into the Leverkusen first-team setup, for one of the big, big European clubs.

“Obviously, Liverpool are one of those but I think there’s a long list of suitors and the obvious candidates are Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester City.”

Jones added: “If you look at Leverkusen and how much they got for Kai Havertz, Wirtz is comparably rated to Havertz at this moment in time. Competition will ultimately be fierce for Liverpool if they want to sign him; they’d have to put a lot of work in and they’d also have to be convinced that he’s the direction they’d want to go down, as he’s a very different player to Mo Salah.

“Everyone is a different player to Salah, to be fair, but you are changing your team immensely if you sign a player like Florian Wirtz.”

READ MORE: Sky reporter: Liverpool ‘interested’ in exciting Bundesliga predator with modest release clause

READ MORE: Liverpool eyeing LaLiga powerhouse who Real Madrid wizard dubbed ‘the best defender’ he’s faced

It’s easy to see why Liverpool and other elite clubs from around Europe would be interested in Wirtz, whose seven goals and 10 assists this season have inspired Leverkusen to open a four-point lead at the Bundesliga summit and win all five Europa League group games so far (Transfermarkt).

He’s already played nearly 150 times at senior level for club and country despite only turning 20 last May (Transfermarkt), already racking up huge high-level experience for a player of his age.

He sits among the top 4% of attacking midfielders across Europe’s five main leagues over the past year for progressive passes per game, averaging an astonishing 7.2 per 90 minutes (FBref).

Wirtz could thrive on unlocking low-block opposition defences with his passing range, as well as making a huge impact in the final third for Liverpool if the Reds were to sign him.

However, as Jones says, it won’t be an easy move to pull off, and other areas of the squad seem likely to take higher priority in the next transfer window or two.

The 20-year-old would be an incredible signing if it comes off, but it’ll surely take something special to rbing him to Anfield.

EOTK Insider with Neil Jones: Could Liverpool move for Florian Wirtz? Joel Matip contract future, the January transfer priority and much more!

The post Liverpool reporter: Reds would face ‘fierce’ competition for 20y/o who’s comparable to Arsenal ace appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Florian Wirtz will remain at Bayer Leverkusen for one more year as things currently stand, according to the player’s father and agent, Hans-Joachim Wirtz.

Beyond that point, an exit away from the Bundesliga outfit is understood to be ‘definitely planned’ for 2025.

Florian Plettenberg relayed the comments in question on X (formerly Twitter), additionally noting that the player would then ‘prefer’ a transfer to admirers Bayern Munich.

Hans-Joachim #Wirtz, father and agent of Florian Wirtz excl. at Sky:

„Currently, everything is geared towards Florian continuing to play in Leverkusen next season.“

As reported: Wirtz is likely to stay in Leverkusen next season. A transfer is definitely planned in 2025.

… pic.twitter.com/NxYPRTeIaL

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) December 4, 2023

Whether the Bavarians can succeed in their ambitions of landing one of the most talented midfielders in Europe remains to be seen amid reported interest from Liverpool [TeamTalk].

READ MORE: January transfer ‘now impossible’ for Liverpool after Achilles tendon injury – report

READ MORE: ‘They look the real deal’: Didi Hamann’s honest verdict on Arsenal v Liverpool in title challenge with Man City

Could/should Liverpool intervene?

With a contract not set to expire until 2025, you can absolutely expect Wirtz’s eventual asking price to be astronomical.

According to our sister site CaughtOffside back in November: “Our sources do not expect Wirtz to leave Bayer Leverkusen until at least next summer. The Germans are also open to a sale and are hopeful a summer bidding war will see their eye-watering £105 million (€120 million) asking price met.”

The fee would appear to be justified to a certain degree, given that the 20-year-old is already on a whopping 16 goal contributions in 19 games.

Statistically, the player stacks up well against the best in Europe’s top five leagues, registering in the 97th percentile, for instance, in shot-creating actions, according to FBref.

If Wirtz can maintain that form going into the rest of the season and, perhaps, the next – he’s going to be unaffordable for a considerable number of potential suitors.

EOTK FPL Gameweek 14 Review : HOLD Trippier? The long-term view, Zinchenko’s time to shine? Eject your Villans?

The post Transfer ‘definitely planned’ for Liverpool-linked target as father & agent breaks silence appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool’s recruitment team always have their eye on the market, in the hope of securing some top talent and it seems that one target has made a Premier League decision.

Writing for Caught Offside, Christian Falk reported: ‘Florian Wirtz is currently the hottest stock on the German market… Leverkusen doesn’t want to sell him for less than €100m-€120m…

‘The player would like to take the next step in the Bundesliga. This means for the Premier League clubs that he is probably not ready for them yet.’

READ MORE: Poker game set to start for 28-y/o UCL-winning CDM; Liverpool interested – report

It seems though that, despite Fabrizio Romano stating: ‘Liverpool keep following the situation’, we may be wasting our time a little.

Florian Wirtz has six goals so far this season, in a Bayer Leverkusen side that has taken the Bundesliga by storm under the stewardship of Xabi Alonso.

The ex-Red has deployed the German international in attacking positions for the 18 matches he’s played in this campaign to date, in all competitions.

READ MORE: (Video) Klopp delighted with return of injured player; ‘looks super in training’

Recording 10 assists too shows that the 20-year-old has been an integral part in all that has been good with the attacking side of the team that’s based in North Rhine-Westphalia.

We may see Bayern Munich then make the move for the former Koln youth star and we will then be forced to watch from afar, at a player that may put his name in lights in the coming years.

Anfield Annals: Matt McQueen the Anfield All-Rounder who did everything in 36 years as a Red

The post Florian Wirtz sends Premier League message; Liverpool ‘keep following the situation’ – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool are right in the thick of it for Florian Wirtz’s signature should the attacking midfielder depart the club ‘at the latest’ in 2025.

Florian Plettenberg confirmed the news on X (formerly Twitter), with the Merseysiders facing competition from Real Madrid, Manchester City, Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

The Bavarians, however, are understood to have the upper hand if they can afford the financial commitment.

More on Florian #Wirtz: Bayer 04 hopes that he will stay for one more season. Bosses are convinced that he will definitely leave the club, at the latest, in the summer of 2025.

All big clubs are in (Real, ManCity, Liverpool, ManUtd…)
If they can really afford the … pic.twitter.com/qRGjvVaYvP

— Florian Plettenberg (@Plettigoal) November 29, 2023

Able to play across both flanks, though mainly operating in the middle of the park, Wirtz would be quite the versatile option for any interested party.

READ MORE: Wow: Liverpool fans may have missed ‘brilliant’ thing Cody Gakpo did vs Man City

READ MORE: Reported Liverpool target’s exit from current club ‘imminent’ amid Premier League interest – report

A player destined for the very top

The German international has been in sensational form across all competitions, registering 16 goal contributions in 18 games this term.

To put into context just how rapid the 20-year-old’s improvement in top-flight football has been, you only need to glance at his numbers in 2022/23 – only 12 goal contributions in 25 games.

Wirtz is evidently a more than confident dribbler already, ranking in the 95th percentile for successful take-ons, according to FBref, whilst also possessing a sharp creative edge (94th percentile for shot-creating actions).

Make no mistake, if we have the money to seriously throw our hat into the ring, it’s a player we’d be wise to keep an eye on for the next season or so.

#Ep96 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: EOTK Insider with Neil Jones

The post ‘Bosses are convinced’: Liverpool target could be Klopp’s next big signing but Bayern might get there first – Plettenberg appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Fabrizio Romano has shared his latest information on Liverpool-linked midfielder Florian Wirtz.

The Reds are among several top clubs from around Europe who are believed to be tracking the 20-year-old, for whom Bayer Leverkusen are set to demand at least €100m (£87.2m), according to TEAMtalk.

Manchester City are also believed to be eyeing a possible move for the youngster (90min), but the Italian transfer reporter expects the Germany international’s plethora of suitors to be disappointed in the short-term.

In his latest Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside, Romano wrote: “Contrary to other reports, I’m told there’s still no asking price and nothing decided on Wirtz. He’s very focused on Leverkusen, they are flying now and nothing is happening.

“I don’t see them selling Florian in January, he’s a key player for Xabi Alonso, so my expectation is for Wirtz to stay at the club in January.”

READ MORE: ‘Look at Szoboszlai’ – Journo claims £55m EPL enigma would’ve thrived under Klopp at Liverpool

READ MORE: Luis Diaz will travel to Colombia next week after his parents’ kidnapping ordeal ends

Wirtz has been one of the main inspirations behind Leverkusen’s rise to the summit of the Bundesliga, with six goals and nine assists in 16 games across all competitions already this season (Transfermarkt).

While predominantly featuring in the number 10 role, he’s also capable of playing slightly deeper, as well as anywhere across the forward line (Transfermarkt), so he’d present Jurgen Klopp with plenty of scope in terms of how best to integrate him within Liverpool’s line-up.

In a similar vein to Dominik Szoboszlai, the 20-year-old particularly excels in terms of his dribbling ability, averaging 3.61 successful take-ons per 90 minutes over the past year, placing him among the top 3% of positional peers in Europe’s five main leagues (FBref).

There’s a case to be made for the Reds having a greater need to strengthen in other areas of the squad in January, but such is Wirtz’s promise that he can’t be totally ignored as a transfer target in 2024.

It does seem as if the Leverkusen gem will stay put until next summer at least, but we can probably expect to hear his name mentioned heavily in Liverpool transfer dispatches in the meantime, especially if he can continue playing a key role in Xabi Alonso’s side remaining top of the Bundesliga.

EOTK FPL Gameweek 11 Review : The Fantasy week from HELL, the Doku & Jackson show & xG paying off

The post ‘I’m told…’ – Romano drops update on Liverpool-linked £87m wizard who Man City also crave appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Fabrizio Romano recently reported that Liverpool are ‘one to watch’ regarding the race for Bayer Leverkusen teenager Florian Wirtz and with Xabi Alonso currently in charge of the Bundesliga outfit, the ex-Red could convince the attacking midfielder to head to Merseyside, that’s according to Liverpool World.

The German international, who is also attracting interest from La Liga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, has two goals and six in 13 appearances assists this season (across all competitions) having only returned from a serious knee injury back in December.

It’s no secret that Jurgen Klopp is wanting to strengthen his midfield options come the summer and although it’s more of a traditional number eight that the club are looking for (for example, Jude Bellingham), the creativity that Wirtz would bring to the Reds will certainly excite our German tactician.

READ MORE: Alexander-Arnold’s omission from latest England squad ‘wasn’t a big shock’, says Liverpool legend

It’s believed that Leverkusen are not willing to let one of their most exciting talents leave in the summer with a departure more likely at the end of next season, but if they receive the right offer then they may find it hard to say no.

Transfermarkt currently value the Pulheim-born star at £62m but with him only signing a new deal until 2027 last summer, the German outfit can demand a higher fee and are very much in control.

You’d be right to suggest that Alonso could also encourage the teenager to join Madrid, another club that the Spaniard played for during his illustrious career, but we certainly believe Anfield would be a great place for him to head to with Klopp no stranger to handing opportunities to youngsters.

#Ep73 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Author chat with Chris Roberts on Football, Mental Health… and more!

The post Liverpool interested in 19-year-old Bundesliga talent; Xabi Alonso could play a huge role in the transfer – report appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Fabrizio Romano has said that ‘Liverpool is one to watch’ in relation to the prospective next destination of Florian Wirtz.

The Bayer Leverkusen midfielder is also of interest to LaLiga giants Barcelona and Real Madrid, according to the Italian, who added that Jurgen Klopp is ‘said to be a big fan’ of the 19-year-old.

However, the journalist has tempered the probability of the teenager leaving the Bundesliga club during the summer.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano said: “Florian Wirtz, what I can tell you is Barcelona are following the player, for sure. Also Real Madrid.

“But I am told also English clubs are keeping an eye on Wirtz, especially the situation of Liverpool is one to watch. Liverpool are monitoring the player and I am told that Jurgen Klopp is understood to be a big fan of Florian Wirtz.

“I say monitoring and not negotiating, because the expectation around Wirtz and Bayer Leverkusen is for the player to stay one more year and maybe move in 2024.”

READ MORE: Report shares significant update in Liverpool’s Bellingham pursuit; one thing could be in their favour

READ MORE: Liverpool discover how much it’ll take to land ‘amazing’ target; he’s ready to leave – report

The 19-year-old is by no means a brand-new entry to the Liverpool rumour mill, with ex-Germany international Karl-Heinz Korbel saying back in January 2022 that the teenager would be ‘a good fit’ at Anfield (as per Sport.de).

The Reds might be able to put their connections with Wirtz’s current manager Xabi Alonso to good use, although the 41-year-old also has ties to another suitor in Real Madrid.

The attacking midfielder has already played 91 times for Leverkusen’s first team despite his tender age (Transfermarkt), and he’d surely be a centurion by now had it not been for a cruciate ligament injury which sidelined him for the majority of 2022.

He could be exactly the kind of dynamic presence to reinvigorate Liverpool’s midfield, with 49 goal contributions already for his club (Transfermarkt), while he ranks among the top 1% of players in his position for assists among Europe’s five main leagues in the past year (as per FBref).

Wirtz is clearly a man in demand judging by Romano’s update, and with him likely to remain in Germany for at least another year, he could be bumped down the list of priorities at Anfield as Klopp and FSG focus instead on targets who’d be more attainable for this summer.

Nonetheless, he could be someone worth keeping tabs on in the longer-term as a potential contributor to a likely midfield overhaul on Merseyside.

You can see the journalist’s update on Wirtz below from 2:15 (via Fabrizio Romano on YouTube):

Ep73 of The Empire of the Kop Podcast: Author chat with Chris Roberts on Football, Mental Health… and more!

The post ‘I am told’ – Romano drops intriguing claim on Liverpool target; Klopp’s supposedly ‘a big fan’ appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

With a cruciate ligament rupture having so far ruled Florian Wirtz out of the 2022/23 season, some may have already forgotten about the 19-year-old’s ludicrous talent amid the performances on offer from the likes of Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala domestically and abroad.

Should Liverpool be unable to sign either of the latter two midfielders, however, Ronan Murphy has suggested that the former teenager should be right at the top of their list in terms of Bundesliga-based transfer targets.

“After Bellingham, and excluding Jamal Musiala who it would be impossible to sign, Florian Wirtz is the brightest talent in the Bundesliga,” the journalist told Anfield Index. “He’s been injured and hasn’t featured for Bayer Leverkusen recently, but he has already had a greater impact than Kai Havertz at the club, and would be a brilliant signing for any club.”

It’s hard to disagree with the view when considering the player registered a remarkable 24 goal contributions in 31 games from the middle of the park last term.

READ MORE: ‘Sign him now’ – Journalist warns £39m midfielder Liverpool want will cost a ‘fortune’ if they don’t move quickly

A consistent complaint about our midfield is that it’s all (or, rather, mostly) industry and no goals – a feature that Wirtz would surely help change were we to seriously pursue his signature in the near future.

The young German is set to return to full team training in early December (according to the Bundesliga’s official website), which will give us ample time to analyse his performances ahead of the winter window.

With a contract not set to expire until 2027, however, we can safely expect Xabi Alonso’s outfit to slap a mega price-tag on the youngster’s back, as is their right.

Much like Manu Kone, however, as Murphy rightly pointed out: Wirtz’s asking price will likely soar even higher, potentially far beyond our means, if we don’t look to snap him up soon.

EOTK Insider: Liverpool’s Two World Cup Winners and 14 Finalists, ahead of Qatar

The post Liverpool told to sign ‘brilliant’ 19-year-old Bundesliga midfielder if not Bellingham or Musiala appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool’s scouting network has been phenomenal at selecting the right talent for many years and they apparently have been ‘watching’ a new player.

According to the Express (via BBC Sport): ‘Scouts from Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle have been watching Bayer Leverkusen’s 18-year-old midfielder Florian Wirtz, but he has suffered a serious knee injury that will keep him out for the rest of the season’.

It’s safe to assume our scouts won’t be watching him again this season, given the serious injury, but the name of Florian Wirtz is now certainly one to look out for in the next campaign.

READ MORE: The one Arsenal player set to be miss the Premier League game against Liverpool

There’s always difficulty on knowing how much you can believe any rumour that crops up but the ability to be able to see a story that doesn’t include Mo Salah’s possible departure or contract signing, is always refreshing.

The 18-year-old tore his ACL against Koln and this will be a huge disruption to his fledgling career, we all know from first-hand experience of Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez that knee injuries are not ones that quickly recover.

With the German recording 7 goals and 10 assists from just 24 games this season, let’s hope he makes a quick recovery and maybe we’ll see him at Anfield one day.

#Ep39 of The Red Nets Podcast: Should we be worried about Mo Salah? Previewing Brighton… and more!

The post Liverpool scouts ‘watching’ German 18-year-old Bundesliga midfielder appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Florian Wirtz has been linked with a host of Premier League giants, including Liverpool, by Bild journalist, Christian Falk.

At 18-years-old, the midfielder has already demonstrated huge potential in his last two seasons with Bayer Leverkusen, registering 11 goal contributions in 29 Bundesliga games last year – a feat he is close to matching (eight) after only five league games this term.

READ MORE: Liverpool are ‘interested’ in teenage Bundesliga sensation with remarkable stats – Christian Falk

As can be observed from the series of highlights compiled below, the teenager possesses some remarkable ball control and quick feet, which regularly enable him to drift out of danger.

Backed up by his statistical contributions, the starlet is an important cog with regard to Leverkusen’s forward play, being able to combine impressively with the German outfit’s frontline to create chances and score goals.

You can catch the clip below, courtesy of Young Talents’ Youtube channel:

#Ep14 of The Red Nets Podcast: Brentford reaction, Toney links, Porto preview… and more!

The post (Video) Florian Wirtz’s highlights suggest that Liverpool should be actively pursuing young gem appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.

Liverpool are reportedly ‘interested’ in Bayer Leverkusen prodigy Florian Wirtz.

This comes from renowned Bundesliga journalist Christian Falk who released the update on the young German via Twitter this morning.

TRUE @ManCity scoute Florian Witz (18) intensely. Also @ChelseaFC @LFC @ManUtd and @Arsenal are interested. But: @FCBayern is leading the race for a Transfer in 2023 @BILD_Sport @ValentinaMaceri pic.twitter.com/kk7pbp2H0j

— Christian Falk (@cfbayern) September 29, 2021

The Reds will face competition from a host of Premier League outfits, including title rivals Manchester City and Chelsea, though the reporter has warned that Bundesliga heavyweight, Bayern Munich, is currently ‘leading the race’ for the player’s signature.

READ MORE: Salah leapfrogs Messi in impressive Champions League statistic after netting UCL double

With nine goal contributions across all competitions this season, it’s not difficult to see why some of Europe’s largest clubs have been paying close attention to the free-scoring teenager.

Considering the age profile of what is perceived to be our strongest midfield trio – Jordan Henderson (31), Thiago Alcantara (30) and Fabinho (27) – we at the Empire of the Kop would expect to see some due consideration given to the future of the club.

There are, of course, emerging talents who have impressed in such a role, with Harvey Elliott producing a number of mature performances prior to his long-term injury and 20-year-old Curtis Jones likewise having previously proved his credentials.

Nonetheless, we certainly wouldn’t be opposed to the recruitment team working to bring another gifted prodigy into the fold in the form of Wirtz given his impressive numbers.

#Ep14 of The Red Nets Podcast: Brentford reaction, Toney links, Porto preview… and more!

The post Liverpool are ‘interested’ in teenage Bundesliga sensation with remarkable stats – Christian Falk appeared first on The Empire of The Kop.