Xabi Alonso Wants Wirtz at Chelsea

Florian Wirtz's Liverpool adventure has turned into a great puzzle in just one year. According to Football Insider's striking report, Xabi Alonso — who officially becomes Chelsea's manager on July 1 — wants to call the German number 10 to Stamford Bridge to return him to his old Leverkusen form. The reports from the Liverpool side carry a different tone: TEAMtalk's transfer content expert Graeme Bailey reported that FSG absolutely won't sell Wirtz and that "the inside voice is that the way he finished the season is a real plus point."

The heart of the story lies in two scenes of the 23-year-old German's career. The first is the 2023-24 season at Bayer Leverkusen: in Xabi Alonso's unbeaten Bundesliga season, Wirtz produced 18 goals and 20 assists in 49 matches, won the Bundesliga Player of the Year title and was the lead actor of the DFB-Pokal and Europa League final. The second is the 2025-26 season at Liverpool: the same player signed for Liverpool in summer 2025 for £116 million (a British transfer record), with a five-year £245,000-per-week contract. But across all matches, he produced only 7 goals and 10 assists, could not adapt to Arne Slot's system, and was closing the season with consecutive bench appearances in Premier League matches.

Two important details in Football Insider's report. First: Xabi Alonso's "great admiration" for Wirtz continues. The Spaniard directly managed the star's crowning season at Leverkusen and had set up the player as the number at the heart of his tactical system. Second: Liverpool "could be open if the right offer comes" but will definitely deny it publicly. This is the nuance Football Insider summarized as "FSG will officially say they are not selling, but the door is not completely closed."

TEAMtalk reported the opposite position. Graeme Bailey said Liverpool is definitely not selling Wirtz and that even Bayern Munich or Xabi Alonso pressure does not matter. Bailey's words are clear: "Liverpool are not going to move on from Wirtz; they worked so hard with him, the word from inside Anfield is that the way he finished the season is a real plus point. They know he struggled to adapt, but so many new players were coming in — it was never going to be easy." So Liverpool's official side is firmly on a "no."

A third scenario is also on the table: Liverpool has currently reached the point of parting with Slot (according to Romano's report this morning, Slot has been sacked, Iraola is the favourite), and this development could also be decisive for Wirtz. If Slot leaves and a manager who prioritizes Wirtz's adaptation (e.g. Iraola) comes in, it makes more sense for Liverpool to keep Wirtz. But in a scenario close to Slot staying — or if the German himself continues his disappointment — the door could be opened.

The financial picture is also striking. Liverpool paid £116 million for Wirtz last summer; FSG's natural approach is to recoup that investment. According to Fichajes reports, Liverpool will demand at least £100 million; this figure is the minimum to recover most of the investment. On the Chelsea side, both Wirtz's salary (£245,000/week) and the transfer fee are a serious financial burden; Stamford Bridge's main focus in the summer transfer should already be to balance the books through sales (they did not qualify for Europe). So even if a deal comes out, it will be extremely complex.

Another scenario is on the horizon: the possibility of Xabi Alonso reuniting with Wirtz is not new. Earlier in the year — during the Spaniard's departure from Real Madrid — claims emerged that Wirtz was offered to Madrid. Bayern Munich also followed the German last summer before the Liverpool transfer and is said to still keep him on the radar. So the Wirtz market does not consist solely of the Chelsea-Liverpool axis.

As a result, the current picture: Xabi Alonso wants it, Chelsea is interested, Liverpool officially says "we are not selling" — but it is said they may be open to bargaining if the right price comes. There is no clear statement from Wirtz's side so far. It is already clear that the coming weeks will be the most watched saga of the Premier League transfer market; especially after Slot's fate at Liverpool becomes clear, the direction of the story will become even more colorful. The door of a transfer story that will be remembered for years is just opening.

Source: Football Insider

🖼️ Image: Florian Wirtz in action — liverpool.com