Slot says Liverpool signing ‘better than expected’ | OneFootball

Arne Slot has said Liverpool summer signing Florian Wirtz has adapted ‘better than expected’ at Anfield.

Liverpool signed Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen earlier in the window for a fee that could reach a British transfer record £116m with add-ons.

The German has made a bright start with the Reds and was an eye-catching performer despite defeat to Crystal Palace in the Community Shield.

Wirtz is set for his Premier League debut on Friday, when Liverpool kick-off the season at home to Bournemouth.

Ahead of that clash, Slot told his pre-match press conference that the 22-year-old has exceeded expectations to date.

“We have a very good player-care department, so I’m not looking for houses together with him or these kind of things,” Slot said.

“But on the pitch and on the training ground and in videos, he needs help for him to understand the way we want to play – that’s not 180 degrees different than Xabi Alonso.

“The system is different but we want to be intense, Xabi Alonso wanted to be intense. He liked to dominate possession, Xabi tried to bring him in positions we want to try to bring him in, so a lot of things are the same for him.

“But it’s true he has to adjust to England, to the league, to the intensity and to his new teammates as well.

“But I think if you saw the games, his adjustment went quite well – better than even expected, and we already expected a lot.”

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