Arne Slot has namechecked Dominik Szoboszlai as the “perfect example” for the growing pains experienced by new signings, which he has mentioned throughout the season.
Liverpool invested heavily in their squad over the summer and it has been far from smooth sailing, with Slot readily reminding everyone of the adjustment period his new signings needed.
Throughout the campaign, you will have heard and read about Slot explaining how they have had to adjust to the demands of the Premier League alongside other competitions.
Florian Wirtz and Milos Kerkez are the names readily mentioned, but both have been on an upward trajectory, and Slot is seeing the improvement time and experience have afforded them, and the team.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - Saturday, February 14, 2026: Liverpool's Dominik Szoboszlai scores the second goal during the FA Cup 4th Round match between Liverpool FC and Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield. (Photo by David Rawcliffe/Propaganda)
Speaking to TNT Sports after the FA Cup win, Slot was encouraged by a team he feels is fitter and better adjusted, before naming Szoboszlai as the “perfect” case study of new signings adapting.
“I would almost say the FA Cup is just as hard as the Champions League because it’s almost all the same teams,” he said.
“Margins are small, but it’s fair for me to say this team has made proper development in the last couple of months.
“We struggle to bring the same intensity, but that is now at a far better level. Players have adjusted and the team seems fitter.
“It didn’t always feel like we could compete, but now they are adjusted and you can see what this team can do.
“These players are young. Most of them, not all of them. Most of the signings are young. They need to adapt to a new country, a new league and playing at a higher intensity.
“Dominik Szoboszlai is a perfect example of that when you look at his past two and a half years coming from the Bundesliga.”
Is Dominik Szoboszlai the perfect example of needing time to adapt at Liverpool?
Dominik Szoboszlai celebrates scored his fifth goal in his last eight games (Peter Byrne/PA)
Szoboszlai arrived in the summer of 2023 as part of a midfield overhaul and quickly settled into Jurgen Klopp‘s lineup after his move from Leipzig.
An injury in early 2024 saw his involvement lessen to close out the season before he became a regular fixture for Slot after the Dutchman’s arrival at the club.
His importance to the team has grown year on year, with his goals and assists on an upward trajectory, having eclipsed his previous best season on season.
Szoboszlai already has his best goal tally at the club (10) for a single season, and is just two assists away from surpassing his career best at Anfield (8).
Only Virgil van Dijk (3,330) has played more minutes than Szoboszlai (3,128) this season, while he had the fifth-most in Slot’s debut campaign and the 11th-most in his first year at the club.
He has clearly adapted to the Premier League and juggling the demands of other competitions with each passing campaign and is now reaping the rewards, showing why Slot feels he is the “perfect” example for new signings.