Florian Wirtz transfer: Three biggest losers as Liverpool begin pre-season
Florian Wirtz’s arrival at Anfield is a massive statement transfer for Liverpool.
Signing for £116million and having a reputation for being one of the most exciting stars in world football, Liverpool supporters will be delighted to have signed Wirtz.
The former Bayer Leverkusen man was an integral cog in Xabi Alonso’s system as they managed to win the Bundesliga in the 23/24 season, as the attacking midfielder scored 11 goals with 11 assists.
His arrival in L4 presents plenty of possibilities for Arne Slot, who could utilise the German in multiple positions as he aims to retain the Premier League.
Here at Liverpool News, we preview what players could be set to suffer following Wirtz’s arrival.
Harvey Elliott to become an afterthought
Whilst Elliott has proven to have plenty of potential, it is clear that Slot does not fancy him.
The creative midfielder has been linked with a move away from Anfield, with Newcastle United interested, among others.
Elliott only started two games under Slot in the Reds’ title-winning campaign, amassing just 399 total minutes in the Premier League.
With Wirtz being able to play in the same position as the Englishman, establishing himself in Liverpool’s starting XI just became a virtually impossible task for the talented youngster.
Leaving Liverpool would be a wise decision for Elliott, who would easily find himself a club willing to give him regular first-team football.
Szoboszlai’s involvement could decrease next season
Despite Dominik Szoboslai having an impressive season, his days of regularly featuring in the starting lineup could be numbered.
| Dominik Szoboszlai | Stats (Premier League 2024/25 season) |
| Appearences | 36 |
| Goals | 6 |
| Assists | 6 |
The Hungarian international will have to impress during Liverpool’s pre-season as he will likely battle with Wirtz for playing time.
Szoboszlai, 24, featured mainly in the number ten role, just ahead of Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch.
This is the exact position Wirtz could slot into, and considering his price tag, he has not arrived at Liverpool to simply be a bit-part player.
As a result, Szoboszlai could see his involvement drastically decrease next campaign.
Luis Diaz could find himself on the bench more regularly
For Germany, Wirtz has been known to play out wide and can play on either flank.
This versatility is another reason why this looks to be the Premier League’s signing of the summer so far, on paper.
With Mohamed Salah, for obvious reasons, expected to have his usual position out on the right nailed down next season, Wirtz could find himself out on the opposite wing.
This could be bad news for Diaz if he is still at the club next season.
The Colombian has been rumoured to be joining Bayern Munich in recent days, but if that move fails to materialise, he will face strong competition for his place in the team.
Despite netting 13 league goals last season, Diaz has been known to frustrate Liverpool supporters at times, and their shiny new toy in Wirtz could be on hand to take his place.
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