Are Wirtz and Kerkez on Liverpool's spending list? Find out why the Reds are splashing the cash.

Wirtz and Kerkez next? Why Liverpool are splashing the cash image source, Getty Images image caption, Milos Kerkez and Florian Wirtz are two of Liverpool's summer targets By Gary Rose, BBC Sport journalist Sami Mokbel Published 4 June 2025 It was an incredibly quiet transfer window for Liverpool last summer, with Federico Chiesa being the only immediate signing that was made. Despite this, the Reds still managed to clinch the Premier League title in Arne Slot's inaugural season in charge. This time around, however, they are taking a different approach. Liverpool have already secured the services of Netherlands international Jeremie Frimpong for £29.5m, are on the verge of signing his Bayer Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz for a fee close to a club record £109m, and are negotiating the signing of Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez for a fee between £45m and £50m. More transfers are expected to follow. Why have the champions decided to splash the cash? After wrapping up their title-winning season with a 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace at Anfield, Slot acknowledged the lack of transfer activity the previous summer. Chiesa's arrival was late in the window, and the deal for Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili was agreed but he remained with the Spanish side until this summer. "We did things differently," Slot remarked. "Apart from signing Federico Chiesa we didn't do a lot so that makes it maybe even more special." With the competition likely to intensify next season, Slot emphasized the need for good players and acknowledged the challenges of the transfer market. The arrivals of Wirtz and Kerkez would see Liverpool's spending reach approximately £180m, with the early opening of the transfer window due to the Club World Cup. Unlike some clubs taking advantage of this, Liverpool's priority is to swiftly conduct their transfer business as preparation for the upcoming season. "Liverpool have been outside of the top 10 spenders on player signings since 2019, but their model is a classic case of being smarter rather than bigger," stated football finance expert Kieran Maguire. This summer transfer window is the first for sporting director Richard Hughes, who joined Liverpool in March last year. His focus has been solely on player recruitment after identifying Jurgen Klopp's successor. As the Reds continue to bolster their squad, more positions are being targeted for reinforcement. The signing of Frimpong has addressed the departure of Trent Alexander-Arnold, with Wirtz and Kerkez being key targets for Slot. Manchester City, Liverpool's main title challengers, had also shown interest in Wirtz, but were discouraged by the potential cost of the deal. Left-back remains an area to strengthen, with Kerkez emerging as a crucial target for Liverpool. Negotiations are ongoing, with the Hungary defender dropping hints about his future on social media. With several positions still identified for strengthening, it's likely Liverpool will reach the £200m spending mark cited by Maguire. Potential departures of players like Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and Harvey Elliott could pave the way for further transfers to reshuffle the squad. As Liverpool gear up for the new season, the transfer activity at Anfield continues to make headlines. tags: liverpool, premierleague, signings, transfers, football