Ten Hag pinpoints Kluivert as Wirtz successor at Leverkusen | OneFootball

According to TalkSPORT and VoetbalPrimeur, Erik ten Hag sees Justin Kluivert as the ideal successor to Florian Wirtz. The Leverkusen manager is said to be pushing for the arrival of the Dutch international.

Now that Leverkusen and Liverpool have reached an agreement in principle for Wirtz’s transfer to England, Ten Hag’s side are planning to stir things up on the transfer market.

The Germans have reportedly agreed to a total package of around £116.5 million (137.5 million euros) and seem to want to invest part of that fresh income into next season’s squad, with Kluivert’s name suggested to the club’s management by Ten Hag.

The British media explain: “Bayer Leverkusen have contacted Bournemouth and made enquiries. Leverkusen’s new manager, Ten Hag, is said to be the driving force behind the potential transfer. He sees Kluivert as the perfect solution to replace Wirtz.”

It is believed that Leverkusen will have to work overtime to get this prospective deal done. “Bournemouth have made it clear to Leverkusen that Kluivert is not for sale. But owner Bill Foley has previously said that he will accept transfers if the right fee is put on the table. The English have not yet mentioned a price, but it is likely that Bournemouth wants much more than double his purchase price.”

Bournemouth brought Kluivert to the Premier League from AS Roma in the summer of 2023 for around 10.8 million euros. Kluivert has now played 75 matches for the Cherries, in which he has scored 22 times and provided 10 assists. His contract in England runs until the summer of 2028.

GBeNeFN | Max Bradfield