£100m Wirtz Vows to Elevate Liverpool After Stellar Pre-Season

Liverpool's most exciting new face Florian Wirtz is confident that if Arne Slot gives him the freedom to express himself then he’ll make the reigning champions even better.

Wirtz, 22, already has his image emblazoned on the outside of the Kop and made his first appearance in front of his new adoring home fans in Monday’s friendly against Athletic Bilbao .

The £100m man, who signed from Bayer Leverkusen in June in a deal which could rise to a British record £116m, is the headline act of a busy summer spending spree which so far tops £265m - and there could be more to come in the shape of Alexander Isak.

But Wirtz has no fear over his price tag, and is instead focusing on how he can improve a team which won the Premier League with four games to spare last season.

“I came here to play my best football and because I thought I could fit into this team,” said Wirtz.

“I’m really enjoying my first few weeks. I’m enjoying playing with these players. It's getting a little bit better every time and I'm happy about how it's going.”

Wirtz donned a red shirt for the first time on the club’s pre-season tour of the Far East, featuring against AC Milan and the Japanese side Yokohama F Marinos, against whom he found the net.

He then played 74 minutes in Monday’s friendly against Bilbao, the second of two matches on the night as Slot gave his entire squad a run out before Sunday’s Community Shield against Crystal Palace at Wembley.

Wirtz came close to scoring twice against the La Liga side as he took up an advanced midfield role, and the Germany star says the Reds will benefit if Slot allows him to express himself.

“Yes I think I'm a player who needs freedom on the pitch, and the manager gives it to me,” he said.

“Of course, I have to respect the position I’m in and the players around me, but I try to give my best on the pitch and find the right places, and I have the freedom for this here.

“I will try to find the right places to be, and the right spaces to get the ball and to be dangerous and create chances.

“I've not played a match in the Premier League yet but I am looking forward to it and that's why I came.”

Wirtz joins his former Leverkusen team-mate Jeremie Frimpong, flying left-back Milos Kerkez, French forward Hugo Ekitike and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili, who agreed his deal last summer, in being the premier new faces at Anfield ahead of the new season.

It has been a summer of change at Anfield following the title win, with the likes of Trent Alexander-Arnold , Luis Diaz, Caoimhin Kelleher and Jarell Quansah all leaving a club still mourning the tragic death of Diogo Jota last month.

But contrary to there being concerns about so many new faces settling in at the same time, Wirtz feels it is actually a positive thing that the new additions have all arrived together.

“Yeah, I think it's good that we have a few players that come in at the same time,” said Wirtz. “We can connect a little bit and talk to each other about how we feel, and it helps us all coming into the team.”

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