Liverpool and Jeremie Frimpong have quickly become familiar with one another, but it has been clear that not every new arrival settles at the same pace.
Some players adapt straight away, while others need a little longer to find their rhythm, especially when expectations are high and every performance is examined closely. That has largely been the case for Florian Wirtz so far.
The German has shown flashes of the quality that made him such a special player at Bayer Leverkusen, even if he has not yet produced it every week. But Frimpong knows Wirtz better than anyone, and he believes Premier League defenders will soon be finding out just how devastating he can be.
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Liverpool v Fulham - Premier League
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Jeremie Frimpong says Florian Wirtz has much more to give for Liverpool
Wirtz has had moments already that hint at what he could become for Liverpool. There have been glimpses of his touch, his vision and the way he can open up games in crowded areas, but he is still working towards the level of week-to-week influence he showed in Germany.
That is understandable. The Premier League is a different challenge, and players arriving from abroad often need time to adjust to the pace, intensity and physical side of the game.
For someone like Wirtz, whose best work often comes through timing, close control and quick decision-making, that process can take a little longer.
Frimpong, though, has no doubt there is much more still to come.
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As he explained to Men In Blazers: “At Leverkusen everyone played a part of winning. But if Flo wasn’t there, then maybe it would have been a different story. You know, he was the heartbeat of the team. You guys are seeing it now. You guys are seeing more of it, more of it now.
Florian Wirtz of Bayer Leverkusen celebrates after scoring the first goal with Jeremie Frimpong of Bayer Leverkusen
Photo by Jan Fromme – firo sportphoto/Getty Images
“But he’s got so much more. Flo at his best, he wins you games. Flo at his best, it’s going to score goals and assist. Flo at his best, he’s going to embarrass you if you’re a defender.
“He’s like a wizard. He’s so confident of his abilities. He can just go past anyone. He’s so clinical, playmaker.”
It is strong praise, but it also comes from someone who saw Wirtz at close quarters during Leverkusen’s rise. Frimpong knows what the midfielder looks like when he is completely in sync with the team around him, and his view is that Liverpool supporters are only starting to see that version.
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Florian Wirtz of Liverpool celebrates after scoring a goal to make it 2-0 during the Premier League match between Liverpool and Wolverhampton Wanderers at Anfield
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
Liverpool are figuring out Wirtz slowly but surely. There is always an adjustment period for foreign players, particularly those whose game is built more on technique, movement and awareness than pure power. The 22-year-old has already shown enough to suggest he will get there.
Once he is fully adjusted to the physicality and tempo of the Premier League, Frimpong’s warning may start to look very accurate indeed.
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