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Liverpool star Florian Wirtz has opened up on how he is settling into life with his new club after making a $155 million (£116 million) move from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer — and outlined a recent chat with Arne Slot.
Wirtz is yet to score or assist for Liverpool in a competitive game but he has shown some promising signs. And he says he is working hard to make himself stronger and fitter in order to be able to cope with the increased physical demands of the Premier League.
"It could be that I'm trying to pass the ball faster," he said when asked about not quite matching his performance level in the Bundesliga so far. "I recently talked to the coach about it, and he suggested why I might not be able to get into the situations I normally get into.
"That is, that I'm making the game fast with a dribble or a pass. He said it could be because we press a lot and I run a lot.
"For example, the running stats. I'm always at the top there because I try to push hard and do what the coach asks. I need a lot of strength and energy for that.
"When I have the ball, I might be lacking a little bit. That it will simply come step by step, as I play more games, get fitter, be able to do things more easily, and then, when I have the ball, be fit enough and recovered enough to push.
"After the Champions League game, he told me I wouldn't start in the league because he wanted to control the load a bit and see which game I could play better in.
"He decided on the Champions League game that I would start there and then sit on the bench in the league. I fully understood that. I was able to recover a bit and didn't have to exert myself as much."
This weekend, Liverpool travels to Selhurst Park to take on Crystal Palace. But Wirtz says home matches at Anfield have left a big impression on him to date — as has one particular teammate.
"I loved playing for Leverkusen. I loved the fans, the club. When you're in the stadium in Liverpool, you realize: this is just a little bit above and beyond," Wirtz, speaking to Sky Germany, continued.
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"It's impressive when 'You'll Never Walk Alone' is played at Anfield. It does something to you when so many people sing that song. It definitely gets under your skin.
"Without wanting to disparage anyone, it's simply a step up. Everyone has to fight for their place here and give it their all to be better than their opponents. I have to work just as hard as everyone else to have a starting place or to be one of the best.
"You can see that there are several very, very good players in every position here. The one who's playing very, very well at the moment is Ryan Gravenberch. He's standing out at the moment."
Liverpool.com says: There is no doubt that Wirtz will be a success at Anfield. He has shown a few glimpses of what he can do so far, and when he is fitter, stronger and more used to the intensity, he will find his feet. The 22-year-old is too good for it not to work out.
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