Florian Wirtz has poured cold water on the rumours of discontent in the Liverpool dressing room with a claim about Mo Salah.
The German is set to return to action when Liverpool face Galatasaray on Tuesday night, and sat down with Jeremie Frimpong and Giorgi Mamardashvili to discuss life on Merseyside after his record-breaking summer transfer.
When he arrived at Liverpool, there were claims that Salah resented Wirtz’s increased role.
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He has shut down the idea, acknowledging the Egyptian as one of the main players who helped him settle in at Anfield.
Florian Wirtz says Mo Salah support helped him settle at Liverpool
We all noticed Salah’s frustration before Christmas, hammered home by a controversial post-Leeds interview in which he claimed he had been thrown under the bus by Arne Slot.
A theory that rose out of the unrest was that Salah was not happy with how the new marquee signings — and specifically Wirtz — got the keys to the side early on.
That theory is debunked by an admission from Wirtz on the newest episode of The Reds Roundtable.
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Asked about the players he is closest to, Wirtz responds: “Jeremie’s my day one, you know? It’s like this. Also Mo Salah always tried to speak with me.
Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen celebrates after scoring the first goal with Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen
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“He came also young to Liverpool, and as a big signing, and he tried just to speak to me and make me feel…free, you know?”
A vastly different picture than the one painted by some in the media, and yet another example of Salah’s professionalism and dedication to Liverpool.
Wirtz and Frimpong on coming to Liverpool together
Alongside Wirtz was Bayer Leverkusen teammate Frimpong. They came to Anfield together and remain very close friends.
The pair were asked about that process, and how they felt about taking this next step together.
Wirtz said: “It started already during the season, we were still in Leverkusen, and from the day I had the interest of Liverpool I found out that they were also interested in Jeremie. So, we were sitting next to each other in the changing room.
“Every day we came, we spoke to each other. We were sitting next to each other, so we were speaking almost every day, how it’s going and how it can be so, so cool if we go together.”
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As for Frimpong, he remarked: “In Germany, he lived close to me as well. So, when I first came, I’m chilling with him. Obviously, when I heard Flo had interest as well, it was like, ‘Top!'”
Wirtz and Frimpong have both come into their own at Liverpool in recent months and look like being key figures in the side for years to come. The close friendship they have has undoubtedly aided in that process.
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