Florian Wirtz is looking to turn the page on a difficult first season at Liverpool as new head coach Andoni Iraola prepares to hand the German international a more settled role at the heart of the team.
Wirtz arrived at Anfield last summer from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £100m, making him the most expensive signing in the club's history at the time, a record he held for less than three months before Alexander Isak's move eclipsed it. Despite the fanfare surrounding his arrival, his maiden campaign under Arne Slot proved underwhelming as Liverpool, the reigning champions, slipped to a fifth-placed finish.
The 22-year-old was shuffled between the left flank, central positions and, at times, the substitutes' bench, failing to find the net in his opening 22 appearances. He finished the season with 49 outings for Liverpool, contributing just seven goals and eight assists across all competitions. In the Premier League specifically, he managed only five goals and three assists, numbers that undersold his underlying performance data of an expected goals tally of 7.58 and expected assists of 5.38, hinting that sharper finishing from himself and his teammates could have yielded a better return.
Reflecting on the campaign, Wirtz acknowledged the inconsistency in his own game. "Difficult question but of course there were some games when I wasn't happy with myself, but also a lot of games when I felt good on the pitch," he said. "Last season was difficult for the whole club but hopefully we have the right energy and mentality this season so every player can shine more."
A fresh chapter now begins with Iraola at the helm, the same manager whose Bournemouth side delivered a high-intensity introduction to Wirtz on his Premier League debut last August. Unlike Slot, who deployed the German across multiple positions, Iraola has already signalled his intention to use Wirtz centrally as a No 10, a role the player himself has identified as his preferred position.
"We spoke about this because I think it is important to know which position you are going to play and I know that I can probably play different positions but No 10 is my favourite and my best position, so let's see how this works out," Wirtz explained.
Iraola, for his part, expressed enthusiasm about working with the German playmaker, even though their time together so far has been limited to pre-season training. "Especially in the last three years at Bournemouth you could see what he can do with a team," the coach said. "We are looking forward to working with him. For me, it is only two weeks that I have been in training, so I can just say that I am enjoying it. I like the idea of football he has, so I am really looking forward to it."
Part of the emerging plan appears to involve pairing Wirtz with fellow big-money arrival Isak, with the German tasked with creating chances for the Swedish striker. The two combined for only a single goal last season, and even that carried a caveat, as Isak was injured when he scored against Tottenham in December. However, promising signs have emerged during pre-season, including a 3-2 friendly defeat to Monaco in which Wirtz found the net.
"Today and last game against Leeds, we had some good combinations," Wirtz noted. "Also, we created some chances together. He is a very, very good player and I enjoy playing with him."
Beyond adapting to a new manager at club level, Wirtz will also work under a fresh face on the international stage, with Jurgen Klopp having taken charge of Germany following Julian Nagelsmann's departure. The former Liverpool boss has yet to make contact with his compatriot, though it seems likely both new coaches will look to build their respective sides around the playmaker.
Having won two trophies in his penultimate season at Leverkusen, Wirtz is now focused on silverware with Liverpool alongside his own personal development. "I just want to be the best version of myself," he said, as he looks to make a greater impact in his second season on Merseyside.
Based on reporting from Independent (Football).