Florian Wirtz unfazed by huge Liverpool price tag

LONDON – Florian Wirtz says his huge price tag “doesn’t matter” as he prepares for his first season in the English Premier League after a switch to champions Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen.

The attacking midfielder arrived at Anfield for an initial £100 million (S$171.3 million) that could rise to £116 million with add-ons, making his move a potential British record.

However, speaking after impressing in a 3-2 friendly win over Athletic Bilbao on Aug 4, the 22-year-old brushed off the size of his transfer fee.

“I don’t think about it. I just want to play football and how much money the clubs pay between each other, it doesn’t matter,” he said.

“Of course, the big challenge is to win the title again and it is the most difficult thing, so (I will) try and just create chances and also work against the ball.

“I can also run a lot, so (I will) bring this to the team and then with the ball, I can make the team better and bring my teammates into better situations.”

Liverpool face FA Cup winners Crystal Palace in the season-opening Community Shield on Aug 10 and kick off their Premier League title defence at home to Bournemouth on Aug 15.

Germany international Wirtz said he was relishing the challenge.

“There are some differences to Germany, but I think there is also something I can learn and make me better, so I am really looking forward to it,” he added.

“It’s more intense and more physical – every player is really strong, really fast. That is what everybody is telling me.”

Liverpool have spent more than £250 million so far in the summer transfer window on a clutch of new players including Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Milos Kerkez, Jeremie Frimpong, who also came from Leverkusen, and Giorgi Mamardashvili.

The club are understood to have made a bid of around £110 million plus potential add-ons for unsettled Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak last week, which was rejected.

Manager Arne Slot said after two friendlies against Bilbao at Anfield that there was “always room for improvement”, despite the club’s march to a record-equalling 20th league title last season.

“We’ve added a few, in my opinion, extra weapons,” said the Dutchman.

“So, Florian has a lot of creativity in the final third. We’ve lost with Trent (Alexander-Arnold, who has signed for Real Madrid) a lot of creativity from the back.

“Trent’s crosses and picking out runners was so special – I think Flo has this quality as well in a totally different position.”

Liverpool paid tribute to late forward Diogo Jota in their first matches at Anfield since the forward and his brother Andre Silva died in a car crash in Spain in July.

Slot said in his programme notes that it had been a “tough time for everyone connected with the club, but especially for Diogo’s family, his wife, his children and friends”.

“We cannot imagine the pain that they have been going through and the club will continue to give them all the support they can going forward,” he wrote. “We will always carry him with us in our hearts, in our thoughts, wherever we go.”

Meanwhile, Liverpool midfielder Tyler Morton has joined Ligue 1 club Lyon on a five-year contract, the French outfit announced on Aug 5.

The 22-year-old arrives from the Premier League champions for £15 million.

“Olympique Lyonnais announce the arrival of midfielder Tyler Morton from Liverpool. The English youth international has signed a five-year contract, which will run until June 30, 2030,” Lyon wrote in a statement on the club’s website.

Morton joined Liverpool’s academy at the age of seven and signed his first professional contract with the Reds at the age of 17.

He made 14 appearances for the first team and spent two loan periods in the second-tier Championship – at Blackburn Rovers and Hull City. AFP