Leverkusen set to accelerate Quansah interest

Bayer Leverkusen are set to accelerate their interest in Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah.Leverkusen and Liverpool have been locked in talks over the Premier League club's £116 million move for Florian Wirtz, which could be completed by the start of next week with the Germany international's medical imminent.The clubs have continued contact regarding Quansah, though Liverpool are not actively trying to sell the centre-back.The 22-year-old found his first-team opportunities limited last season and a move could interest the defender, who has been named in senior England squads.Liverpool have an interest in Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi, who could be viewed as a replacement for Quansah.
BBC Sport understands that the Anfield club's level of interest in England international Guehi this summer is linked to Palace's asking price for the defender.Last year, Palace rejected four offers from Newcastle with the final one reaching £65m. However, Guehi has just 12 months left on his deal meaning he can leave for nothing next summer.If a deal for Guehi can not be reached during this transfer window, Liverpool would be interested in landing the centre-back on a free next summer.In addition to Quansah's possible move to Germany, there is also some uncertainty over fellow centre-back Ibrahima Konate's future.France defender Konate has 12 months left on his contract at Anfield and is yet to agree an extension, while Joe Gomez's future is also unclear this summer.

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Florian Wirtz to earn four times Luiz Diaz and double England star at Liverpool

Florian Wirtz will become one of Liverpool's highest earners when he completes his £116million move from Bayer Leverkusen on Friday, with his wages eclipsing many of the current crop of players Florian Wirtz will make almost four times as much as Luis Diaz while playing for Liverpool. The attacking-midfielder arrived in the north west on Friday to complete a £116million switch from Bayer Leverkusen, which will make him not only Liverpool's record club-signing, but also one of the highest-paid players on the current wage bill. Darwin Nunez currently holds the record for most cash spent on a player, arriving from Benfica in 2022 in a deal worth up to as much as £85m, including add-ons. However, 22-year-old Wirtz will trump that figure and then some when he signs on the dotted line. ‌ Meanwhile, Wirtz is expected to be compensated generously over the course of a reported five-year contract, with Fabrizio Romano claiming that the German national will receive £200,000 per week for his efforts, plus bonuses. For context, that's almost four times the £55,000 per week that Diaz currently receives, according to Spotrac. ‌ Mohamed Salah is the club's highest-paid star at present, reportedly raking in £400,000 per week as a result of his new deal, while Capology reports that Virgil van Dijk commands a weekly wage of around £350K. Wirtz will also earn more than Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch if rumours ring true, given that the midfielders earn a salary of £150,000 per week. Wirtz will also make more than double what England international Joe Gomez earns, with the 28-year-old centre-half on a salary of around £85,000 per week. Fresh from winning the Premier League this season, Arne Slot has wasted no time in bolstering his squad with hopes of defending the title in 2025/26. The Dutchman recruited full-back Jeremie Frimpong from Leverkusen on a five-year deal at the end of May after activating the 24-year-old's £29.5m release clause in the wake of Trent Alexander-Arnold's departure to Real Madrid. It appears as though he is keen on strengthening his defence further with the acquisition of Crystal Palace centre-half Marc Guehi. While Liverpool have made no formal offer for Guehi just yet, the Reds may be in the best position to secure his services should they decide to. The 24-year-old has entered the last year of his contract with the Eagles, but a deal will not come cheap, as evidenced by Newcastle United seeing four bids rejected for him last summer. Tottenham, meanwhile, have reportedly offered a package worth up to £70m to entice Guehi to north London in January, but saw their advances pushed back. Wirtz's arrival comes as Liverpool may look to break their own record transfer twice in the same summer, with Slot reportedly keen on signing Newcastle striker Alexander Isak. ‌ The Swedish national has set the Premier League alight since making his way to St. James' Park from Real Sociedad in a £63m move back in 2022, scoring 62 goals in 109 games. However, should Liverpool hope to pry the 25-year-old away from the club he is seemingly settled at, they will have to pay a ridiculous amount of money. Under contract until 2028, Newcastle have slapped a hefty £150m price tag on Isak this summer, and Eddie Howe has reportedly urged the board not to let the talisman leave. He said: "Alex is under contract, we love him to bits, and we want him to stay. We want him to keep scoring goals for Newcastle for many years. That's my plan." Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.