Florian Wirtz has made a strong start to his time at Liverpool, and manager Arne Slot didn’t wait long to praise his impact. In the 4-1 win over Athletic Club at Anfield, the German gave glimpses of his talent, showing why he is considered the ideal replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold, who left a creative void after his move to Real Madrid.

A New Weapon for Slot's Attack

The Dutch coach praised Wirtz after the friendly: “We lost creativity with Trent’s departure, but Flo brings vision and quality in the final third, although from a different position.” Wirtz joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £116 million and has already shown his ability to link up with teammates and create chances, just as he did in his Anfield debut.

Alongside Wirtz, Darwin Núñez was also one of the stars of the match, scoring one of the team's four goals. Rio Ngumoha, Ben Doak, and Harvey Elliott also found the net, reflecting the high level of Liverpool’s young talents.

Athletic Struggles with Their Second Unit

Ernesto Valverde’s side fielded a second-string lineup that couldn’t handle Liverpool’s early intensity. By the 5th minute, the Reds were already up 2-0, with goals from Ngumoha and Núñez in a blistering start. Despite solid efforts from Mexican goalkeeper Álex Padilla, the Reds extended the lead before halftime with a goal from Doak.

The pace didn’t drop in the second half. Elliott made it 4-0 after a well-worked team move, while Gorka Guruzeta pulled one back for Athletic with a header following a defensive lapse.

What’s Next for Liverpool

With the Community Shield against Crystal Palace on the horizon and the Premier League opener against Bournemouth, Arne Slot believes his team is on the right track. If Wirtz’s preseason performances are any indication, Liverpool fans have every reason to be excited about their new creative leader for the 2025-26 season.