In an era when transfer windows are often defined by noise and spectacle, Liverpool have opted for precision. Their move for Florian Wirtz, reportedly worth up to €136.3 million, is not a gamble dressed up as ambition.

Should all those bonuses be triggered, Wirtz would become the most expensive signing in Premier League history, eclipsing Chelsea’s £115 million ($156.4 million) acquisition of Moisés Caicedo from Brighton & Hove Albion in 2023.

Anfield's executives do not often spend big on ready-made superstars but they were glad to make an exception for German star