Florian Wirtz made his first appearance for Liverpool in a private friendly on Sunday, and supporters have already formed strong opinions about their new German star.
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He became the club’s most expensive signing in June, arriving from Bayer Leverkusen in a £100 million deal and committing to a long-term contract through 2030. ..Continue Reading
Liverpool kicked off their pre-season with a 3–1 win over Preston, though Wirtz wasn’t involved in that match.
His debut came days later in a closed-door fixture against Stoke City at the AXA Training Centre.
The reigning Premier League champions cruised to a 5–0 victory, with Darwin Nunez netting three and Rio Ngumoha and Federico Chiesa each adding one.
Wirtz, temporarily wearing the No.58 shirt, impressed fans with a dazzling performance once the club shared match highlights.
He showcased his talent with a surging run through midfield that led to Nunez’s opener, after his initial pass was only partially cleared.
Later, he set up Ngumoha’s goal with a clever ball from the edge of the area, and Liverpool supporters are already buzzing about their record-breaking recruit.
Highlights – Liverpool 5-0 Stoke pic.twitter.com/JZQm3zMBNX
— N. (@cnsultra) July 20, 2025
One fan on X said: “Wirtz with 2 assists in his debut.”
A second commented: “I don’t think the premier league is ready for Florian Wirtz. We actually signed a generational gem.”
A third added: “That Wirtz touch and strength, takes 3 seconds to realise he’s world class.”
Another said: “Wirtz is another level technically.”
Liverpool’s behind-closed-doors friendly offered several intriguing insights, especially the unexpected deployment of Szoboszlai at right-back.
The Hungarian international, who played a pivotal midfield role during last season’s title-winning campaign, was chosen over Jeremie Frimpong and Conor Bradley to start in defense.
Despite the positional switch, Szoboszlai surged forward and delivered a pinpoint cross for Darwin Nunez’s second goal, following a clever pass from youngster Trey Nyoni.
As pre-season intensifies, Liverpool are heading to Asia for a series of matches against AC Milan and Yokohama F. Marinos.
Manager Arne Slot has announced a 29-player squad for the tour, notably leaving out Luis Diaz and Federico Chiesa, both of whom are currently surrounded by transfer rumors.
