Liverpool manager Arne Slot believes record signing Florian Wirtz has been “better than expected” and 18-year-old Parma centre-back Giovanni Leoni is about to become one of his team-mates.
Germany midfielder Wirtz arrived from Leverkusen in June for an initial £100 million that could rise to a British-record £116m.
“He doesn’t get distracted by the transfer fee, ” Slot said of the 22-year-old. “His mentality is his biggest strength, which says a lot because you see him play and you think ‘are you serious?’”
Florian Wirtz: Liverpool ‘intense’
Reigning German Footballer of the Year Wirtz, who was the Bundesliga player of the season as Leverkusen became champions with an unbeaten domestic campaign in 2023/24, is now aiming to help Liverpool defend the Premier League title they won during Slot’s first season in charge, as well as improve upon a Champions League run that ended in the last 16 against eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain.
“He might be young but he’s already won a lot,” observed Slot. “We can see him as a young player but he is experienced.
“We have a very good player care department, so I am not looking at houses with him. But in videos and at the training ground, he needs to understand what we want.
“We want to be intense. [Former Leverkusen manager] Xabi Alonso tried to play him in positions we want to but it’s true that he has to adjust to England, the intensity and his new team-mates.
“If you saw the [pre-season] games, it went quite well. Better than expected, and we already expected a lot.”
Slot on Giovanni Leoni, Marc Guehi transfers
Italy Under-19 international Leoni will have a medical on Thursday before completing a £26m transfer, according to widespread reports.
Slot would not discuss a mooted move for England centre-back Marc Guehi, who helped Crystal Palace beat Liverpool on penalties in the Community Shield on Sunday following a 2-2 draw in which the Reds’ new-look defence was occasionally unconvincing.
“Can I talk more?” asked Slot. “No, he is not our player. Unfortunately, he was the captain of the team we lost against. If you want to talk about him, go to [manager Oliver] Glasner and Palace and ask them.”
Liverpool vs Bournemouth: Szoboszlai stands out
Slot singled out Dominik Szoboszlai’s versatility in midfield after an impressive pre-season for the Hungary international.
“There are things he can improve but what stands out with Szoboszlai is how he presses,” said Slot, discussing competition for the number eight role.
“Not many are better in the world than him for that. He can find spaces as a 10. Maybe he needs the end product with through balls and to adjust when he plays behind the ball.”
Liverpool vs Bournemouth time, TV channel, stream
Leoni is expected to be in Liverpool’s squad when they host Bournemouth in the opening match of the 2025/26 Premier League season on Friday (20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT).
The game against one of the surprise packages in the 2024/25 top flight will be shown live in the UK on Sky Sports Premier League, Main Event and Ultra.
Liverpool’s first away game is at Newcastle on August 25 (20:00 BST / 15:00 ET / 12:00 PT).
