The impending arrival of Florian Wirtz will give Arne Slot food for thought when it comes to his Liverpool midfield, which was a crucial component of their title-winning campaign
Comments
Sport
Florian Wirtz of Germany looks dejected during the UEFA Nations League 2025 semifinal match between Germany and Portugal at Munich Football Arena on June 04, 2025
Florian Wirtz has been told to expect stiff competition for his Liverpool place
(Image: Corbis via Getty Images)
Dominik Szoboszlai has made it clear he won't be rolling out the red carpet for Florian Wirtz to take his spot in the Liverpool side. With Wirtz set to complete a club record and potential British record move worth up to £116.5million, there's no doubt he'll be one of the first names on Arne Slot's teamsheet next season.
Quite where he'll be playing is a little less clear. He's primarily played in the No. 10 position for Bayer Leverkusen and Germany, although he has been occasionally used out wide.
It's been claimed that Slot helped seal the deal by promising the 22-year-old he'd be first choice for the attacking midfield role, which Szoboszlai was mostly deployed in for the title-winning campaign. The Hungarian, 24, registered six goals and seven assists in the Premier League, although he is more used to staying centrally.
That suggests he could be in more direct competition with Alexis Mac Allister next season. But Szoboszlai has warned his soon-to-be team-mate that he's ready for the "difficult" challenge of competing for a place in the team.
When asked if he should be concerned about Wirtz's impending arrival, he told oghuncrew: “No, I don’t think so. Of course, if they buy a player for €150m, they probably won’t keep him on the bench.
“But then we have to find a way to play together. If you say that it will be difficult for me, then we’ll wait and see how it will be after pre-season.
Article continues below
"In the end, you might be right, but I don’t give up my place easily. I think he knows that getting into a Premier League-winning team is a hard job and takes work.”
Dominik Szoboszlai of Hungary vies with Florian Wirtz of Germany during the UEFA EURO 2024 group stage match between Germany and Hungary at Stuttgart Arena on June 19, 2024 in Stuttgart, Germany
Fitting Szoboszlai and Wirtz into the starting XI could be a challenge for Slot
(Image: Getty Images)
According to Slot's comments before Liverpool's penultimate game of the season away at Brighton, Szoboszlai does prefer playing slightly deeper. “Dominik sees his best position as an eight as well, so it will be interesting to see how he does in this position," the Dutchman said.
Ryan Graverberch made the holding role his own following Slot's arrival, and Mac Allister rivalled Szoboszlai's league goal contributions with five goals and five assists from a less advanced position. But with another hectic season ahead, the Reds boss will have the luxury of rotation that he lacked during his maiden campaign.
While they ultimately cruised to the title, fatigue did seem to catch up with his side in the business end of the season. The likes of Wataru Endo, who's insisted he's staying put this summer, and Curtis Jones will be key from off the bench once again.
It remains to be seen whether Harvey Elliott will still be amongst the Reds squad by the end of the transfer window, though. The 22-year-old is currently focused on the Under-21 Euros with England, but he faces a huge decision with his career at a crossroads.
Article continues below
While Szoboszlai could well keep his place alongside Wirtz, Elliott is very much being pushed back down the pecking order. A loan move could offer a short-term solution, but his search for regular minutes might necessitate a permanent exit.
Join our new WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Mirror Football content. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.