Liverpool sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for huge fee that could climb to $156m

Liverpool sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for huge fee that could climb to $156m
Liverpool delivered a huge statement of intent after winning the Premier League title by signing Germany star Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen on Friday. (X/@LFC)
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Updated 20 June 2025
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Liverpool sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for huge fee that could climb to $156m

Liverpool sign Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for huge fee that could climb to $156m
  • “I feel very happy and very proud,” Wirtz told the official Liverpool website
  • “Finally it’s done and I was waiting for a long time”

LONDON: Liverpool delivered a huge statement of intent after winning the Premier League title by signing Germany star Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen on Friday.

The transfer fee could climb to 116 million pounds ($156 million), which would make the 22-year-old Wirtz the most expensive player in the history of British soccer.

“I feel very happy and very proud,” Wirtz told the official Liverpool website. “Finally it’s done and I was waiting for a long time.

“I’m really excited to have a new adventure in front of me. This was also a big point of my thoughts: that I want to have something completely new, to go out of the Bundesliga and to join the Premier League.

“I will see how I can perform there. I hope I can do my best. I spoke also with some players who played there and they told me that it’s perfect for me and every pitch is perfect, you can enjoy every game. I’m really looking forward to playing my first game.”

Liverpool, determined to keep moving forward despite securing a record-tying 20th English top-flight title, splashed out a club record to bring in not only one of the best players from Germany, but one of the top youngsters in the world.

Wirtz has been a key first-team player for Leverkusen since he was 17. He was the outstanding attacking player in the team that won the Bundesliga and German Cup in 2023-24 without losing a game, and is a regular in Germany’s national team.

It’s why Liverpool were ready to pay a guaranteed 100 million pounds, plus 16 million pounds in potential add-ons. Wirtz had two years left on his contract, giving Leverkusen leverage in negotiations.

The Premier League record for an initial fee was set when Chelsea signed Enzo Fernandez from Benfica for 106.7 million pounds ($131.4 million at the time) in 2023, before the London club agreed to pay up to 115 million pounds ($146 million at the time) for midfielder Moises Caicedo from Brighton later that year.

Liverpool manager Arne Slot arrived last summer and signed just one outfield player — forward Federico Chiesa — for the 2024-25 season.

Chiesa barely played and the Reds won the league by 10 points, after which Slot and some of his players — including Virgil van Dijk — spoke about there being big plans for this transfer window.

Having already signed right wing back Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen for a reported 35 to 40 million euros ($39.7 million to $45.4 million), Liverpool have returned to the German club to take Wirtz, who rejected an opportunity to join Bayern Munich — a Bundesliga rival which have long pursued him.

One obstacle to that move was the size of the fee Leverkusen wanted. Another was concern over how Wirtz might fit into the same lineup as Jamal Musiala, Germany’s other standout young attacking midfielder.

Losing Wirtz leaves Leverkusen and their new coach, Erik ten Hag with an even bigger rebuild following the departure of Xabi Alonso for Real Madrid.

Just after his 17th birthday, Wirtz became the youngest player in Leverkusen’s history when he made his debut against Werder Bremen in May 2020, in an empty stadium at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A month later he was the youngest player to score in Bundesliga history, though that record has since been topped.

Wirtz’s versatile attacking midfield play was a vital ingredient in Alonso transforming Leverkusen into a team that could win the Bundesliga and German Cup without losing a game.

He and Alonso stayed for another sometimes-disappointing season which ended with second place to Bayern in the league and a loss to Bayern in the Champions League round of 16.

Wirtz showed he can deal with adversity when a cruciate ligament tear in his knee ruled him out for almost all of 2022 — including Alonso’s first games as coach — before he returned to power Leverkusen to their league and cup double in 2023-24.

Wirtz has become a vital player for the German national team with 29 caps. He played all five of their matches at Euro 2024 on home soil.

He’s also had to contend with hostility from fans of his boyhood club Cologne, which he left for nearby Leverkusen at 16. Liverpool and Bayern were reportedly interested then, too.

Cologne claimed that deal broke an agreement between the clubs not to pursue each other’s youth players. Leverkusen argued Wirtz was so talented that he counted as a first-team player despite his age.

Cologne and Leverkusen are barely 10 kilometers (6 miles) apart, so going to Liverpool will be the first time that Wirtz has moved away from his roots.

His parents Hans Wirtz and Karin Gross have played a big role in his career — they were also his agents until last year — and he’s close to his older sister Juliane, a professional player for Werder Bremen in the women’s Bundesliga.

Wirtz’s decision to turn down Bayern and the Bundesliga for Liverpool has caused some raised eyebrows in Germany.

“I wouldn’t have thought Florian would make this switch so early,” former Germany great Lothar Matthäus told broadcaster n-tv last month. “But he wants to get out of his comfort zone.”

Wirtz seems likely to slot in as the No. 10 at Liverpool, a more creative solution in that role compared to the hard-running Dominik Szoboszlai.

Whether Slot also now pushes for a new striker as an upgrade to current options Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez remains to be seen.

Szoboszlai could drop back into one of the two deeper midfield positions, competing with Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones.


Oman hire Carlos Queiroz as coach in push for World Cup qualification

Oman hire Carlos Queiroz as coach in push for World Cup qualification
Updated 15 July 2025
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Oman hire Carlos Queiroz as coach in push for World Cup qualification

Oman hire Carlos Queiroz as coach in push for World Cup qualification
  • The veteran Portuguese tactician led Iran into the 2014 and 2018 World Cups
  • The 72-year-old Queiroz has also coached Real Madrid, Portugal, Egypt, Colombia and Qatar

MUSCAT: Oman hired Carlos Queiroz as their national-team coach Tuesday ahead of autumn games that will determine if the country advances to the World Cup for the first time.

The veteran Portuguese tactician led Iran into the 2014 and 2018 World Cups and will take over with immediate effect.

Oman and five other countries — Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Indonesia, United Arab Emirates and Qatar — have reached the fourth round of qualifying. From groups of three, the two winners will qualify for the 2026 World Cup next summer in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

The fourth-round draw will be on Thursday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The matches are in October. After those, there’s one additional round — the second-place finishers square off in November for a spot in a playoff tournament.

“This comes as part of efforts to improve the team’s performances for upcoming games,” the Oman Football Association said in a statement.

Queiroz replaces Rashid Jaber, who led Oman to a fourth-place finish in the third round to keep qualification hopes alive.

The 72-year-old Queiroz has also coached Real Madrid, Portugal, Egypt, Colombia and Qatar.
Queiroz was fired as Qatar coach in December 2023 after 11 games in charge.


Barcelona star Yamal faces backlash for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism for birthday party

Barcelona star Yamal faces backlash for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism for birthday party
Updated 15 July 2025
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Barcelona star Yamal faces backlash for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism for birthday party

Barcelona star Yamal faces backlash for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism for birthday party
  • Yamal, 18, could face an investigation for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism
  • Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights said such hirings ‘take us back to the Middle Ages’

BARCELONA: Barcelona star Lamine Yamal has been criticized and could face an investigation for reportedly hiring people with dwarfism as entertainers during his lavish 18th birthday party this weekend.
Spain’s Ministry of Social Rights has asked prosecutors to open a probe into the hiring and exposition of the entertainers. Ministry director Jesús Martín Blanco told Europa Press that such hirings “take us back to the Middle Ages.”
A local association for people with disabilities had already condemned the alleged hirings, saying it would take action “legally and socially” against those responsible for promoting such actions.
Spanish radio station RAC1 published an interview with one of the entertainers who said he was in the party. The man said they were all treated with respect. He complained about the reaction against Yamal for hiring them.
Yamal celebrated his birthday with a party filled with celebrities. It also included some of his Barcelona teammates.
In May, Yamal signed a contract extension to stay at Barcelona until 2031. He helped the Catalan club clinch a domestic treble — La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup. His big season came after he helped Spain win the European Championship in the summer of 2024.


South African Mokwena to coach Algerian champions Mouloudia

South African Mokwena to coach Algerian champions Mouloudia
Updated 15 July 2025
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South African Mokwena to coach Algerian champions Mouloudia

South African Mokwena to coach Algerian champions Mouloudia
  • His move to Algiers follows one season with Moroccan outfit Wydad Casablanca
  • Mokwena will come up against two other former South African Premiership coaches in the Algerian championship

JOHANNESBURG: South African Rulani Mokwena was named coach of Algerian champions Mouloudia Alger on Monday, ending weeks of speculation as to where the 38-year-old would work in the 2025/26 season.

His move to Algiers follows one season with Moroccan outfit Wydad Casablanca. He left after finishing third in the national league and failing to qualify for the CAF Champions League.

Here, AFP Sport also reports on a setback for Sudanese giants Al Hilal as they chase a place in the forthcoming Champions League in the latest football news across Africa.


Mokwena will come up against two other former South African Premiership coaches in the Algerian championship.

German Josef Zinnbauer, the former Orlando Pirates tactician, guided JS Kabylie to second place behind Mouloudia last season and qualification for the Champions League.

Another German, Sead Ramovic, led Chabab Belouizdad to third place and entry to the second-tier CAF Confederation Cup. His previous clubs include TS Galaxy in South Africa.

Young Orlando Pirates forward Mohau Nkota is joining Saudi Pro League club Ettifaq, the Soweto club announced.

Last season was his first with the Buccaneers first team and he scored 12 goals in 39 appearances, including three in Champions League victories over Belouizdad and Mouloudia in Algeria.

The 20-year-old will join fellow African Wissam Chaouali, a Tunisian defender, at a club that finished seventh in the Pro League last season, 33 points behind champions Al Ittihad.

Al Hilal, who have featured in every Champions League since 2004, suffered a setback in their bid to qualify for the 2025/26 edition of the premier African club competition.
The Sudan Elite League pacesetters lost 1-0 to Al Amal Atbara in the fourth round of a mini-league and remain top of the table only on goal difference from Al Zamaleh Umm Ruwaba.

Only two points separate seven of the eight contenders and 16 matches have produced just 18 goals as clubs chase top-four finishes and places in the Champions League and Confederation Cup.

Angolan champions Petro Luanda have hired 48-year-old Spanish coach Franc Artiga as they prepare for their Champions League campaign.

Former Angola forward Flavio Amado had been in charge of the record 19-time national champions, but lacks the necessary coaching qualifications for Confederation of African Football competitions.

Petro have twice reached the Champions League semifinals, losing to Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa in 2001 and Wydad Casablanca three years ago.

Namibia, one of many African countries lacking a FIFA-approved stadium, will play their remaining 2026 World Cup home qualifiers against Malawi and Sao Tome e Principe in neighboring Botswana.

The matches in September are earmarked for Francistown, 440 kilometers (274 miles) northeast of the capital Gaborone. They previously hosted qualifiers in Soweto near Johannesburg.

Namibia are unbeaten in Group H after three victories and three draws and lie second, four points behind six-time World Cup qualifiers Tunisia.


Turki Alalshikh announces tickets for blockbuster Canelo vs. Crawford fight

Turki Alalshikh announces tickets for blockbuster Canelo vs. Crawford fight
Updated 15 July 2025
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Turki Alalshikh announces tickets for blockbuster Canelo vs. Crawford fight

Turki Alalshikh announces tickets for blockbuster Canelo vs. Crawford fight
  • Riyadh Season event features 2 of boxing’s biggest names of a generation on Sept. 13
  • Tickets go on sale July 18, with the bouts set to stream on Netflix

LAS VEGAS: Two of boxing’s most dominant forces, undisputed super middleweight champion Saul “Canelo” Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) and undefeated four-division superstar Terence Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) are set to face off in a Riyadh Season fight for the unified super middleweight championship at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sept. 13, with tickets to go on sale later this week.

Start of ticket sales were announced Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the General Entertainment Authority and president of the Saudi Boxing Federation, who is collaborating with UFC President and CEO Dana White and Sela to promote the highly anticipated showdown.

Canelo is looking to add Crawford to his legendary resume. Capturing a multitude of titles across multiple weight divisions, and defeating the likes of Shane Mosley, Gennady Golovkin and Miguel Cotto, Alvarez has done more than enough to solidify himself as one of the best to ever do it. The proud native of Guadalajara, Mexico, now turns his attention to the undefeated challenger, Terence Crawford, to cement his legacy even further.

Omaha, Nebraska’s Crawford, meanwhile, is setting out to show why he believes he’s the No.1 pound-for-pound boxer in the world with a defining win against Alvarez. The current WBA and interim WBO middleweight champion, Crawford has become a household name by defeating Ricky Burns, Jose Benavidez Jr., Amir Khan, Shawn Porter and Errol Spence Jr. After moving up in weight to 154 pounds against Israil Madrimov, Crawford now sets his sights on Canelo to secure the biggest win of his career.

Canelo vs. Crawford tickets will go on sale July 18 and are available for purchase at Ticketmaster.com. Ticket sales are limited to eight per person. Presales will begin July 17.


Man City sign kit deal worth reported £1 billion

Man City sign kit deal worth reported £1 billion
Updated 15 July 2025
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Man City sign kit deal worth reported £1 billion

Man City sign kit deal worth reported £1 billion
  • City’s extension of their contract with Puma ranks as the largest kit manufacturing partnership
  • “We joined forces with Puma with the ambition to challenge ourselves and go beyond the expectations,” City Football Group chief executive Ferran Soriano said

LONDON: Manchester City have signed a blockbuster new kit deal with Puma worth a reported £1 billion ($1.34 billion) over the next 10 years.

City’s extension of their contract with Puma ranks as the largest kit manufacturing partnership in Premier League history.

Having agreed a £65 million per year deal with the German company in 2019, City’s new arrangement is believed to be worth a £100 million per year until 2035, according to British media reports.

That figure shatters the £90 million per year deal signed by Manchester United with Adidas in 2023.

Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are both reported to have kit deals worth in excess of £100 million per year.

“We joined forces with Puma with the ambition to challenge ourselves and go beyond the expectations. We have achieved this and more over the last six seasons,” City Football Group chief executive Ferran Soriano said.

“Puma have seamlessly integrated into our organization, and we have enjoyed many historic moments together, engaging fans globally.”

Puma chief executive Arthur Hoeld added: “Puma’s partnership with Manchester City has been a great success both on and off the pitch.

“Trophies, a perfect stage for our performance products and commercial success were exceptional.”

City’s massive deal comes after the club’s first season without major silverware since 2016-17.

Pep Guardiola’s men finished third in the Premier League after winning the title for the previous four seasons.

They also suffered a shock FA Cup final defeat against Crystal Palace and crashed out of the recent Club World Cup in the last 16 against Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal.