Wirtz, Salah & the Shifting Power Lines at Anfield: Winners & Losers of Liverpool £116m Coup

Arne Slot statement signing rocks Europe – but who stands to gain, and who could be left behind?

They say game‑changers arrive once in a generation, yet Florian Wirtz already looks bent on breaking that rule. At just 22, the German wunderkind has completed a British‑record £116 million switch from Bayer Leverkusen to Livehttps://euromatch.news/cat/football/rpool, snubbing the advances of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

For new Reds boss Arne Slot, it is a signature that screams intent. For the rest of Europe’s elite, it feels like the tectonic plates have just shifted. And for Liverpool’s fanbase, it is proof that Fenway Sports Group are prepared to bankroll another era of dominance.

But in modern football every mega‑transfer sends shockwaves far beyond the unveiling photograph. Deals of this magnitude create winners and losers, altering title races, tactical blueprints and even individual award narratives. So who rises, who stumbles, and who might need a fresh start now that Wirtz is boarding a flight to Merseyside?

Below, a deep dive into the immediate ripple effects of the summer’s headline deal.

WINNER: Arne Slot – From Question Marks to Masterstroke

Arne Slot Liverpool

When Slot was unveiled as Jurgen Klopp’s successor last year, scepticism was rife. Could the former Feyenoord boss, armed with one Eredivisie title and zero top‑five experience, really stride into Anfield’s dug‑out and keep pace with the Premier League’s tactical titans?

Fast‑forward twelve months and pause that doubt. Slot not only guided Liverpool to a runaway league title and a Champions League quarter‑final, he did so with just one notable recruit: bargain‑bin winger Federico Chiesa. Now, with Wirtz on board, the Dutch strategist has bagged a player he specifically requested to spearhead phase two of his project.

Slot’s reputation has skyrocketed. Wirtz’ decision to reject Bayern’s hefty pay packet underscores the allure of Slot’s football, and marks the 45‑year‑old as a manager top talent actively want to play for. That gravitas will be invaluable as Liverpool look to add two or three marquee names before the window closes.

LOSER: Harry Kane & Bayern Munich – A Rare Transfer Misfire

harry kane liverpool

Bayern’s domestic hegemony is built on cherry‑picking the Bundesliga’s brightest. Yet efforts to lure Wirtz to the Allianz fell flat, even with Harry Kane acting as salesman‑in‑chief.

For Kane, the defeat stings. He arrived in Bavaria to chase major honours, but Bayern’s Champions League exit last season revealed glaring imbalances in midfield creativity. Wirtz was earmarked as the missing link – a free‑roaming 10 to slide passes through defensive lines, drawing markers away from the English striker.

Instead, Bayern must regroup. Their aura of inevitability in German transfer battles has dimmed, and Vincent Kompany has lost a potential cornerstone before his first pre‑season session.

WINNER: Mohamed Salah – The Ballon d’Or Dream Gets a Lifeline

Mo Salah might be the Premier League’s most relentless goal machine, yet football’s top individual accolade has eluded him. In 2024‑25 he delivered an eye‑watering 47 goal involvements, only to watch Paris Saint‑Germain’s Ousmane Dembélé steal Champions League headlines.

Enter Wirtz. The German’s arrival instantly lessens Salah’s creative burden. No longer must Egypt’s king drop deep, drift wide and conjure magic from nothing. Wirtz will feed those diagonal runs, slip passes through tight windows and draw defenders out of Salah’s lane.

If the 33‑year‑old spends less energy orchestrating and more time in the zone where he is deadliest – the penalty area – a Ballon d’Or push in 2026 suddenly feels plausible.

LOSER: Cody Gakpo – Liverpool’s New Odd Man Out?

Slot’s countryman Cody Gakpo enjoyed a renaissance last season after being shifted from false nine to inverted left‑winger. Twenty‑five goal contributions later, he looked a lock for the long‑term XI.

But Wirtz, too, thrives cutting in off the left. Add rumours of Miloš Kerkez arriving from Bournemouth – a bulldozing, overlap‑happy left‑back – and you have a tactical puzzle Gakpo might not solve. Early whispers linking him to Bayern feel telling; he won’t want another 18 months of bit‑part minutes, especially in a World Cup season.

WINNER: Fenway Sports Group – A Bridge Rebuilt with Supporters

For years, a subset of Liverpool fans accused FSG of penny‑pinching. Yet this record‑shattering outlay, coupled with the Jeremie Frimpong capture and mooted moves for a centre‑back and striker, signals a new financial boldness.

Suddenly the ownership narrative has flipped: instead of belt‑tightening Americans, they are ambitious custodians bankrolling the club’s resurgence to the summit of European football. Stand‑offish fans are thawing – nothing mends relations like big‑name arrivals.

LOSER: Pep Guardiola – A Heir to De Bruyne That Got Away

Guardiola loves nothing more than a versatile, press‑resistant technician – and Wirtz was widely seen as Kevin De Bruyne’s spiritual successor at the Etihad. City tracked him for 18 months, but balked at Leverkusen’s asking price plus salary.

Financial prudence is admirable – until your main rival signs the same player and immediately raises their ceiling. City have secured gifted youngsters in Rayan Aït‑Nouri, Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki, yet none replicate De Bruyne’s final‑third genius the way Wirtz can. Pep might lie awake wondering if thriftiness has finally cost him.

WINNER: Barcelona – Diaz Domino Could Unlock Anfield Exit

Over in Catalonia, Barcelona scan the market for a new left‑winger. Xavi (or whichever coach survives the boardroom upheaval) reportedly covets Liverpool’s Luis Díaz above Nico Williams.

Wirtz’s presence means Slot now owns a surplus of left‑siders: Díaz, Gakpo and the German himself. If Liverpool decide Diaz is the expendable piece – particularly with a new No.9 hunt under way – Barça could pounce, provided they conjure €70 million amid their ongoing financial gymnastics.

LOSER: Harvey Elliott – Blocked Path to the First Team

Harvey Elliott Liverpool 2024-25

“I don’t want to waste years,” Harvey Elliott admitted ahead of the U‑21 Euros. The home‑grown schemer made just six Premier League starts last season; that number could sink even lower.

Wirtz excels in the same half‑spaces Elliott occupies. Dominik Szoboszlai already stands ahead of the 22‑year‑old in Slot’s hierarchy. For Elliott, a loan or permanent switch may now be the only route to regular minutes – a brutal reality for a player once labelled Liverpool’s future.

The Verdict: A Deal That Tilts the Landscape

Transfers of this magnitude do more than strengthen one squad; they re‑wire European football’s competitive map. Liverpool, buoyed by Slot’s swift success, have added a generational conductor. Salah sees fresh supply lines. Bayern lick their wounds. City’s margin for error shrinks. And several talented Reds may now consider packing their bags.

If Wirtz adapts as seamlessly as many expect, Anfield’s new dynasty could arrive even faster than forecast. For everyone else, the message is clear: catch up quickly, or risk watching “Liverpool 2.0” sprint out of sight.