Jurgen Klopp believes that the time of Florian Wirtz in Liverpool will be determined by the answer to an important question.
The legendary Reds -Baas is a vocal supporter of the swoop of the club for the German superstar, but knows that success is not a guarantee.
Wirtz closed a five-year-old deal with Liverpool in June when he made a switch of £ 100 million from Bayer Leverkusen and that could rise to £ 116 million with add-ons.
He was omitted from the team for their first pre -season match against Preston – a 3-1 victory in Deepdale – despite other new faces in Giorgi Mhaldashvili, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and Freddie Woodman received a few minutes. That exclusion was part of a well -known fitness management strategy.
And the most important question for Klopp is: where does Wirtz fit in?
“Yes (he will settle himself), although of course I don't know exactly what position Arne has in mind for Florian,” Klopp said.
There is a range of options open for lock.
The best position of Wirtz is undoubtedly like a central attacking midfielder. He played the most freqently for Bayer Leverkusen there and that frees him to have the game important – last season he scored 16 goals and helped another 15.
As an alternative, the Slot could look to use Wirtz as a false nine, dragging away defenders and making more room for the broad players of Liverpool to cut – something that Mohamed Salah is especially happy.
Another idea would be to extend Wirtz wide, perhaps to the left wing. This is not a position he is excited to, but given how the future of Luis Diaz is in the air in the midst of interest from Barcelona and Bayern Munich, he can be asked to play there sometimes.
As an alternative, Wirtz could be asked to play in a deeper role as number eight.
This can be logical if slot a midfield three wanted to use three with Dominik Szoboszlai still some free rule as an eight next to him, with one star – probably Ryan Gravenberch or Alexis Mac Allister – sitting like a number six.
There is no doubt about the destructive power of Wirtz and as such Slot will probably want to maximize the opportunities to get it in dangerous areas.
But he will also weigh what suits the rest of the team. For example, if Wirtz plays in the attacks of midfield, Liverpool would probably have two defensive central midfielders, and that would raise questions for Szoboszlai.
After Wirtz had signed for Liverpool, Klopp told RTL/NTV: 'This will be absolutely fantastic, I am sure.
'It is very difficult to strengthen a team if you are a champion. But Liverpool has succeeded.
“They have signed an exceptional talent in Florian Wirtz. I'm looking forward to seeing it. It will be great. '