Florian Wirtz's real Liverpool transfer fee emerges as Reds could cost themselves more money

Florian Wirtz could end up costing Liverpool an extra £16million, but the Reds will be quite happy to pay it.

Germany international Wirtz became one of the headline arrivals into the Premier League this summer when he joined the Reds from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial £100m which could rise to £116m with add-ons.

Wirtz hasn't quite hit the ground running in England just yet, with the reigning champions facing a tough opening to the season with matches against Bournemouth, Champions League qualifiers Newcastle United and last season's runners-up Arsenal.

Nonetheless Liverpool did win all three matches, and Wirtz is in line to start again when they go to Burnley after the international break.

Ahead of that game, a report from The Times states that those extra £16m in add-ons will only be paid in full to Leverkusen if Wirtz wins either the Premier League or Champions League four times during his time at Anfield, something that Liverpool will quite clearly hope that he achieves.

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While Wirtz is yet to get off the mark for Liverpool he did score a stunning free-kick for Germany in their 3-1 win over new Reds team-mate Conor Bradley's Northern Ireland on Sunday night. Speaking after that game, Wirtz acknowledged that playing in the Premier League is a challenge.

"It's another league, another type of football. I'm happy to be there," Wirtz said. "I have no idea when I'll score my first goal, hopefully in the next game, but it will come at some point."

Meanwhile Germany legend Michael Ballack says Wirtz's move away from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, along with that of forward Nick Woltemade from Stuttgart to Newcastle, should be seen as a concern for German football, but he supports their decision over taking a more traditional route to Bayern Munich.

"Would it have made sense for [Wirtz] and his development to play another two or three years in the Bundesliga with Bayern?" Ballack said to Sport Bild. "Of course, he would win championships there.

"But is the Bundesliga still the ultimate challenge for him at the highest level? No, because the Bundesliga was left behind by the Premier League years ago.

"That's the reality. That's why it is generally no longer as attractive for the absolute top players. That's why changes are necessary."

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