Liverpool boss Arne Slot has outlined his tactical plan for summer signing Florian Wirtz as the Reds prepare for a massive Premier League showdown against Manchester City this weekend.
The £116 million signing from Bayer Leverkusen has had a mixed start to life at Anfield, but his recent performance against Real Madrid in the Champions League showed exactly why Liverpool were willing to spend big.
Slot’s men secured an important 1-0 victory over the Spanish giants, and Wirtz was at the heart of it all — drifting in from the left, linking play, and creating openings with his trademark vision.
The 22-year-old German has often been used as a central playmaker, but Slot made it clear that he doesn’t want to limit Wirtz to one position. Instead, he wants the youngster to express himself freely in the final third.
“Florian can play in more than only one position,” Slot explained. “He can play off the left, which he did almost all the time in Leverkusen when Xabi Alonso came and introduced his 3-4-3 system, and before he played as a 10 in a 4-3-3.”
The Dutchman added:
“It is more about getting him positions where he is good, rather than be focused on ‘is he a 10, is he an 11, is he an eight?’ We would like to have him in and around the 18-yard box, centrally or a bit more off the left or right, for him to create the amount of chances he has already created for us.”
Could Wirtz be Liverpool’s “wild card” at the Etihad?
With Manchester City up next, there’s growing curiosity among fans about how Slot will use his creative gem. Last season at the Etihad, Liverpool stunned City by playing with two number 10s — Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones — in a 2-0 win.
Now, Wirtz could be the new ace in that setup. His ability to find space between the lines could trouble City’s defense, and his quick link-ups could open up opportunities for Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike.
Slot, however, insists that consistency is the real focus right now.
“We have lost a few games, much more than we usually do, and now we have won two so our focus is on getting consistent, improving, and getting players fit,” he said.
Florian Wirtz stats this season so far
| Competition | Matches | Goals | Assists | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier League | 10 | 0 | 0 | 610′ |
| Champions League | 4 | 0 | 2 | 342′ |
| Community Shield | 1 | 0 | 1 | 84′ |
Wirtz has yet to score for Liverpool in the Premier League, but his creativity and work rate have already made him a key part of Slot’s plans.
The German playmaker’s numbers may not sparkle yet, but fans know it’s only a matter of time before he starts pulling the strings — and the triggers.
As Liverpool travel to Manchester, one thing is certain: Wirtz won’t just be playing a position — he’ll be playing his own tune.