Liverpool 'dealt blow in their long-standing pursuit' of playmaker Florian Wirtz
Liverpool have been dealt a potential blow in their rumoured long-standing pursuit of Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz.
The 20-year-old has been continually linked with a move to Merseyside over the past two transfer windows, with manager Jurgen Klopp constructing midfield rebuild following the departures of Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlian, Naby Keita and Fabinho this summer.
Wirtz, already a German international, has enjoyed wholesale success with Leverkusen so far, becoming manager - and former Red - Xabi Alonso's go-to men in midfield. The German outfit currently sits top of the table and are unbeaten after 10 games so far this season.
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With speculation having already been fended off by Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro most recently, fellow employee of Carro, Managing Director Simon Rolfes, insists Wirtz is still under contract until 2027 and that no advances for the player have or will be entertained.
The German international is contracted until 2027, and Rolfes has insisted that he is not for sale.
"No, no one has approached us - and no one needs that, " Rolfes responded when asked about the future of Wirtz in a recent chat with German publication. Kicker.
When asked if the Bundesliga table-toppers would entertain a bid in the region of £80m for their most prized assets, he further added: "No we are a football club. Not a bank."
As per Kicker's report, it is also claimed that Florian's father and advisor Hans-Joachim Wirtz has insisted his son will stay at the club until at least next summer's European Championships in Germany.
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