Signed for £5m, sold for 450% more: Liverpool hit gold with the original Wirtz
da bwin： Liverpool’s summer has been a whirlwind of activity, both in the transfer market and on the pitch.
da 888casino： The reigning Premier League champions kicked off their title defence with three wins from three.
They started with a 4-2 home victory against Bournemouth, followed by a hard-fought 3-2 win away at Newcastle, and a 1-0 success at home against Arsenal before the international break.
Alongside this, Liverpool have been busy in the transfer market, bringing in reinforcements like Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Geovani Leoni, Hugo Ekitike, Florian Wirtz, and Alexander Isak.
While the club invested heavily in top-tier talent, they also opted to cash in on a number of established first-team players and youth prospects.
Luis Diaz departed for Bayern Munich, and Darwin Núñez moved to Al-Hilal, leaving gaps in attack that the new signings are expected to fill.
Meanwhile, Liverpool also demonstrated strategic acumen in monetising young talent, turning promising academy graduates into substantial profits.
Selling young talent for big fees
This summer saw Liverpool secure impressive deals for their emerging stars.
Harvey Elliott joined Aston Villa on a season-long loan, with a £35m obligation to buy next summer, while Jarell Quansah departed for Bayer Leverkusen, also for £35m.
Ben Gannon Doak moved to Bournemouth for £25m, and Tyler Morton headed to Lyon for £15m.
These deals illustrate how Liverpool balance long-term planning with immediate financial prudence, often selling young players at the peak of their market value to reinvest in first-team quality.
Where Are They Now
Liverpool’s approach highlights their willingness to nurture talent in-house and then sell at the right time.
By capitalising on these transfer opportunities, the club can maintain squad balance while generating funds for strategic signings.
Liverpool’s original Wirtz is a fine example of that.
Liverpool's original Wirtz
One of the standout examples of Liverpool’s successful youth sales is Fabio Carvalho.
The 23-year-old midfielder joined Liverpool from Fulham in 2022 for just £5m, having made 44 appearances for the Cottagers, scoring 12 goals and registering eight assists.
Jürgen Klopp was a fan of the young talent, seeing in him a player with the vision and technical ability that the Bundesliga’s official website claimed was reminiscent of Florian Wirtz.
Carvalho’s time at Anfield, however, was challenging. Like Wirtz in the embryonic stages of his Anfield stay, he has struggled.
The former Fulham man made just 21 appearances for Liverpool, scoring three goals, including a dramatic last-minute winner against Newcastle, but he struggled to cement a regular starting role.
Loan spells at RB Leipzig and Hull City followed, before a permanent move to Brentford last summer for £27.5m.
The sale represented a 450% profit on Liverpool’s initial investment, showcasing the club’s ability to develop talent and sell at the right moment.
Carvalho’s statistics highlight why Liverpool’s decision to sell him made sense.
Fabio Carvalho – 2022/23
Matches Played
13
Minutes Played
347
Goals
2
Progressive Carries
9
Progressive Passes
12
Source: FBref
After making the switch to the Bees, he averaged 1.76 progressive carries per 90, completed 3.33 progressive passes per 90, and managed 2.37 shots per 90 with a shot on target percentage of 41.7%.
He completed 34.9 passes per 90 minutes with a pass completion rate of 70.8%, and his progressive passing distance per 90 was 86.7 metres.
His shot-creating actions per 90 sat at 1.97. While these numbers indicate promise, they also illustrate the gap between Carvalho and his elite contemporaries.
While Carvalho’s technical style was previously likened to Wirtz, particularly for his first touch, vision, and ability to turn quickly under pressure, it’s safe to say there is a seismic difference in quality.
Indeed, the German superstar enjoyed a stellar season last year with 22 goal involvements.
He averaged 5.02 progressive carries per 90, 6.74 progressive passes per 90, and 2.83 shots per 90 with 47.3% on target.
The Germany international completed 52.5 passes per 90 with a pass completion rate of 78.3% and accumulated 198.1 metres of progressive passing per 90.
He also generated 5.66 shot-creating actions per 90. The statistical comparison underlines why Liverpool opted to sell Carvalho.
Wirtz clearly outdoes him in multiple attacking metrics, particularly in goal contributions, progressive play, and chance creation.
However, Carvalho’s style, combining technical vision and composure, suggests that with regular game time he could still flourish in a competitive Premier League environment, as he has begun to at Brentford.
Ultimately, the sale of Carvalho demonstrates Liverpool’s dual strategy: build a squad capable of competing at the highest level, while monetising promising academy talent to reinvest in first-team needs.
Whilst it may be upsetting to see promising talent move on, the club’s market strategy highlights a balance between ambition and smart business.
