Arne Slot defends Florian Wirtz amid scrutiny over Liverpool spending | OneFootball

Liverpool manager Arne Slot has leapt to the defence of Florian Wirtz (22), insisting the summer signing should not be singled out amid criticism of the club’s spending.

Wirtz, who arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in one of the most high-profile transfers of the window, is yet to register a goal for his new side. But Slot argued that the context of Liverpool’s opening fixtures has been overlooked.

“I put that down to Bournemouth, Newcastle, Arsenal and Burnley, teams with strong records, some unbeaten at home in more than a year,” Slot said, as reported by Sky Sports. “There is so much focus on our new signings, especially from pundits who favour other clubs. They talk endlessly about £450 million spent, yet they always forget the £300 million we have sold.”

Slot pointed out that Liverpool’s transfer business was as much about reinvestment as extravagance. “The players we have brought in are expensive, yes, but they are now playing alongside others who are worth similar amounts. If we were to sell Dominik Szoboszlai tomorrow, he would command £100 million. That is the market.”

The Dutchman also suggested that established players deserve equal scrutiny. “There is so much focus on Florian,” he added, “but those already here haven’t scored four goals or produced 12 assists either.”

Curtis Jones expected back in training

Slot’s comments come ahead of a pivotal week, with Liverpool set to face Bayern Munich in the Champions League before hosting Everton in the Merseyside derby. There was, however, a note of optimism: Curtis Jones (24), absent from the Burnley win through injury, is expected to return to training and could feature against Everton.

GFN | Finn Entwistle