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Liverpool fans were made to wait to see Florian Wirtz — perhaps because of his exertions at the UEFA Nations League with Germany this summer — but there were four debuts handed out by Arne Slot against Preston this weekend.
And while Wirtz is the biggest name by some distance that Liverpool has brought to the club this summer, there should be plenty of excitement about the others who have arrived up to this point, with more potentially to follow.
How did Giorgi Mamardashvili, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong and Freddie Woodman perform in their first appearances for the Reds? Liverpool.com was at Deepdale to run the rule.
When he was snapped up from Valencia last summer, it was said that Mamardashvili would need to improve with his feet. Here, that did perhaps look to be the case.
Taking no chances, there were a few balls hit long to be safe — and one that spun in a different direction to what he intended. In the main, though, his handling was strong. Importantly, he looked confident.
Mamardashvili punched one cross clear and didn't have a great deal else to do. In time, his distribution will have to improve. This was, however, a decent enough start.
In the second half, Kerkez and Frimpong, signed for a combined $94 million (£70 million) came on — of the debutants, of course, it is that pair who will play the most in the season to come, so it is probably a good job that both looked lively and left a positive impression.
Early on, it was Frimpong who roamed forward; later, Kerkez came more into his own. But each has the kind of tenacious physical qualities that will make them a success at Anfield.
Conor Bradley started the game and scored, but Frimpong offers something different. The Dutchman's pace was immediately evident; his acceleration is a sight to behold.
On the opposite flank, Kerkez was strong and biting in the tackle. He kept things simple in possession, but was adventurous at times and took up some good attacking positions. At one point, he won a free-kick by going in for a tackle with his head.
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Whatever combination Liverpool starts the season with, Slot will have plenty of strength in depth. And he has a full-back for every occasion.
At half-time, the former Preston goalkeeper Freddie Woodman also entered the fray. Though he was comically jeered at times, he looked tidy enough — certainly for a third-choice shot-stopper.
Woodman, signed on a free this summer, was solid enough with his feet — at least until he got too confident and was charged down a couple of times — and made a good save from a powerful shot hit from relatively close range.
When Alisson Becker is back, Woodman might not play another game for Liverpool. His experience will offer something in the dressing room, though, and he knew what he was signing up for when he arrived.
There will be plenty more chances for the others to impress this summer. But Mamardashvili, Kerkez and Frimpong can all look back at their 'debut' and be relatively pleased.
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