Liverpool won the Premier League last season relatively easily, 10 points ahead of the team behind Arsenal. Therefore, coach Arne Slot's squad does not need to change too much this summer.
However, being left out of the Champions League against Paris St Germain in the round of 16 exposed some of the "Red Brigade's" weaknesses. Specifically, the need for speed, intelligence and greater firepower.
"I think we can find one or two more weapons that the team doesn't have. This can be done by using a transfer market. That is what we are trying to achieve. That will make us stronger," Slot said in May.
For sure, Florian Wirtz will be a weapons of choice for any team in the world. And his unique skill set will give Slot the power he has always craved.
At Bayer Leverkusen, Wirtz is often placed in the central attacking midfield position, or number 10, operating behind the central striker. It remains unknown whether Slot will use him in the same way, or will play higher up the pitch, on the left wing or as a false nine.
In any position Wirtz has taken up, he could be tasked with being Liverpool's creative force. And the numbers show that he has all the elements to meet that requirement.
Since the start of the 2023-24 season, only Mohamed Salah (28) has had more assists than Wirtz (39) in Europe's top leagues. According to Opta, Wirtz ranked eighth in the number of passes advanced in the Bundesliga last season (155) and created 2.1 chances from the Bundesliga's every 90 minutes of play (minimum 1,000 minutes) - more than any other teammate at Leverkusen and just a little less than Salah at Liverpool (2.3).
Liverpool also hope that Wirtz can replace the ingenuity of right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who often helped The Kop break the opponent's crowded defense. Last season, Wirtz created 2.1 chances from an open play every 90 minutes compared to Alexander-Arnold's 1.6. The Liverpool new signing also surpassed the England international in the expected number of assists per 90 minutes (0.36 compared to 0.28).
However, perhaps the most important thing is that Wirtz has shown his dedication to the club during his time at Leverkusen. His impressive performance will help him gain a good position at Anfield.
With such an impressive record, it is no surprise that Wirtz was noticed by many of Europe's top clubs before deciding to move to Anfield.
"Florian Wirtz is one of the top players in the world. He is a world-class player. The people around him, his parents, they want the best for him. They are at a very important moment in his career," coach Xabi Alonso said at a Leverkusen press conference last month.
Wirtz's choice to move to the Premier League instead of staying at home reflects his desire to expand his vision. The family, as usual, helped guide Wirtz's decision. And support from his family will be needed to ensure Wirtz's smooth adaptation to English football.
"The transfer fee is an additional pressure that players have to bear when coming to Liverpool, a team that won the Premier League last season. People will expect Wirtz to show his talent right away, but when you watch him play, you will feel that he does not have that pressure.
When he has the ball, he has the ability to stop time, stop moments and be calm to make good decisions. He has that ability because he is special. Wirtz is very calm, he is very cold in the moments when he needs to be like that" - former Liverpool midfielder Luis Garcia shared with ESPN FC.
