Liverpool have reaped the benefits of their impressive long-term planning in jumping ahead of Bayern Munich in the queue for Florian Wirtz . The Reds are in negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen after convincing Wirtz that his future lies on Merseyside and not in Bavaria. They have submitted an opening bid of €100million (£85m) plus add-ons for the 22-year-old attacking midfielder after receiving the green light from owners Fenway Sports Group. Leverkusen are understood to be holding out for considerably more and want a deal that would break the Premier League transfer record, set by Chelsea ’s £106m move for Enzo Fernandez in 2023. Wirtz has already flown over to scout for houses in the north west of England and is understood to want to test himself in the Premier League. That didn’t initially appear to be the case, with Bayern quietly confident that they would prevail in the race for Europe’s brightest attacking talent. However, things fell apart after Wirtz and his parents – who represent him in negotiations – met with Bayern chief Max Eberl, club supremo Uli Hoeness and head coach Vincent Kompany. It is understood that the Wirtz family left the meeting feeling underwhelmed and with a lack of clarity around the club’s plans for him. The opposite happened when they met with Liverpool , who managed to pitch Arne Slot ’s vision for the 2025/26 campaign and beyond. Their success was partly due to a depth of knowledge around Wirtz, who has long been on the Reds’ radar. Bild have reported that former Liverpool sporting director Michael Edwards has been tracking him since 2020, when Wirtz was playing for Koln. Edwards is now Liverpool’s chief executive of football and his role has been key to what the club hopes will be the biggest transfer of the summer. HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Florian Wirtz be a success at Liverpool? Comment below . Edwards first made contact with Wirtz when he was 17 and has maintained communications ever since. His interest and Slot’s tactical pitch to Wirtz is understood to have been crucial to the Germany international making his mind up before calling Kompany to let him know. The blockbuster deal for Wirtz is just one part of Liverpool’s plans for the summer transfer window, with his Leverkusen team-mate Jeremie Frimpong also heading for Anfield in a £29.5m deal, while Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez is also of interest. Their potential arrivals is clear evidence of the pulling power of winning, with Slot able to convince players following his Premier League title win. In response, Bayern chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen has talked up the club’s credentials after being left wounded by Wirtz’s snub. "Much more has been written than spoken," Dreesen told TZ. "FC Bayern is one of the absolute top clubs in Europe and the world . Our appeal among fans, but also among players, is enormous. "The fact that not every player will end up with us is simply part of the package; it's the same for other top clubs. But everyone knows: with FC Bayern , you can win everything every year, you're involved in every competition – the upcoming Club World Cup is a good example of that. "Just look at which clubs are represented there – and, most of all, which (clubs) aren't. The best European clubs are competing there – including FC Bayern. Our appeal, sporting ambitions, and economic power are well known to all top players around the world." 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.