Liverpool got TWO world-class players in £100m Florian Wirtz deal | OneFootball

Liverpool are finally seeing the true world-class star they paid £60m for. This is what we've been waiting on.

Liverpool underwent a rebuild in 2025, overhauling their full-back positions as well as their attack. Florian Wirtz is the new playmaker in the team, while Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitiké operate up top.

You could even include Rio Ngumoha in that rebuild, in fact. The teenager is now firmly a part of the first-team squad.

LFC x adidas

Shop the away range TODAY

LFC x adidas

Shop the home range today!

LFC x adidas

Shop the goalkeeper range today

LFC x adidas Third Kit

Shop the third kit range today!

But this is actually their second phase of the rebuild. Third, if you include the change in coaching staff.

The first part took place in 2023 and Jorg Schmadtke and Jurgen Klopp changed the midfield significantly. Alexis Mac Allister was the first addition, followed by Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch.

Now, Mac Allister and Gravenberch thrived last season. The pair of them were each in the running for PFA Team of the Year, with both of them getting in.

Endo has been more of a squad player but unquestionably filled his role to perfection. Both Klopp and Arne Slot have made wonderful use of him, getting full value from the £17m Liverpool paid.

And then there's Szoboszlai.

£60m Dominik Szoboszlai

Szoboszlai was the most expensive of the lot. By far, actually. He cost Liverpool around £60m thanks to a release clause and the Reds got one of the most hyped-up players in Europe for it.

But we haven't really seen the reasons for that hype just yet. Szoboszlai was brilliant last season but in a somewhat subdued role where he filled gaps and operated as a link-man rather than a star.

That's largely why Liverpool moved for Wirtz - the German can be the star at no.10 in ways Szoboszlai hasn't been able to. However, they may have had a bonus effect.

The Hungarian looks like a rejuvenated player this season and one who's capable of being a star. He's done it from multiple positions, too, starting in midfield and at right-back.

We all saw the winner against Arsenal that got all the praise and that's clearly the highlight so far. But Szoboszlai has been so much more than that - he's been the all-action midfielder Liverpool paid £60m for.

The game against Burnley showed that off. Szoboszlai started the game at right-back and remained there for the first-half. For the second, he moved into midfield, playing the no.8 role as Mac Allister went off.

Liverpool got a bit of everything for that. Szoboszlai completed more defensive actions than any other Red (9), completed 90 per cent of his passes - including a match-high seven long passes (no other outfield player completed more than two) - as well as completing 10 passes into the final third (4th-best).

Then there were the six shots, all from range, that helped pin Burnley even further back. And this is exactly what we want to see.

It's the Steven Gerrard performance. One where you plug the player in wherever you need him and he'll shape his game accordingly.

He'll threaten from every area, both with passing and shooting, and force things to happen. It's what Szoboszlai has been missing - the confident, main-man display that sees him heavily involved and good at everything.

So more of this, please. The Wirtz signing appears to have moved Szoboszlai up a level as he deals with increased competition and the result is another world-class player.