LIVERPOOL WERE GIVEN A BOOST THIS WEEK WHEN MANCHESTER CITY PULLED OUT OF THE RACE TO SIGN BAYER LEVERKUSEN AND GERMANY ATTACKER FLORIAN WIRTZ 10:11, 21 May 2025 Liverpool will lift the

Premier League trophy in front of supporters on Sunday before being able to parade it around the city the following day as a 35-year wait comes to an end. But the double celebration could be

just the start of an exciting summer. The Reds' form may have dropped off since the title was sealed with a 5-1 win at home to Tottenham Hotspur on April 27. The 3-2 defeat at Brighton

& Hove Albion on Monday means Arne Slot's side are now on a three-game run without a victory. But all that will be forgotten by the time FA Cup winners Crystal Palace arrive at

the match. It will kick-start a 24-hour party for Reds supporters. But behind the scenes at the AXA Training Centre, the Reds' recruitment team continue to work away at boosting head

coach Slot's squad ahead of a title defence. Attacking Bayer Leverkusen and Netherlands right-back Jeremie Frimpong is set to complete his move to the new champions this week. Article

continues below Liverpool are also interested in signing a new left-back with Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez prominent on their shortlist. But it's clear that Slot and sporting

director Richard Hughes are also focusing their attention on the top end of the field. The Reds have a definite interest in Florian Wirtz and were given a boost this week when Manchester

City pulled out of the race to sign the Leverkusen and Germany attacking midfielder. Liverpool chiefs still expect Wirtz to remain in Germany by either staying with Leverkusen - to help

guide them through a post-Xabi Alonso world - or move to Bayern Munich. But the City insistence that they are now out of the running for the 22-year-old means the Reds, as it stands, have

something of a free run his signature should he decide that a transfer to England might appeal. However, Liverpool would have to smash their £85m club record, which they paid for Darwin

Nunez in June 2022, if they were to land Wirtz, who could cost as much as £125m. With the futures of Nunez and Diogo Jota uncertain, the Reds may also need to sign a new centre-forward in

the summer. And that fact, coupled with Wirtz's price tag, means Ally McCoist is unsure over whether Liverpool should follow up on their interest. On talkSPORT, the Rangers legend was

asked by host Jeff Stelling whether the fee for Wirtz would be too high. And he said: “Yes, for anybody it is - that’s my argument. Is he a good player? Yes. Is he a top player? Yes, but

straight away if you can get three players at £40m or maybe an £80m and a £40m. Yes, is the answer to the question. “I think that money could be better spent, I really do. “Yes, I like him

as a player and he’ll make a difference in any side but it’s too much for me, it really is too much. Article continues below “I know the market has gone crazy but I still think the priority

(should be a striker).” Liverpool have done similar to what McCoist has suggested in the past. They were keen to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund in the summer of 2023 only to

pull out of a deal given the cost involved. Bellingham signed for Real Madrid for an initial £88m while the Reds instead spent around £120m on Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and

Ryan Gravenberch, who have all played key roles in the club's title success this season.