Arne Slot backs Florian Wirtz to fill void left by Liverpool star who quit this summer

Arne Slot believes record signing Florian Wirtz will replace the creativity in his team lost with Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure. Right-back Alexander-Arnold left for Real Madrid this summer ahead of his contract expiring at the end of June.

Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong will tussle it out for his position but neither will have the same creativity as the departed full-back.

Yet Reds boss Slot is not concerned after they broke the bank to sign one of the world ’s best young creative midfielders in £116m man Wirtz, who left Bayer Leverkusen to move to Anfield.

The German international scored 57 goals and provided 65 assists in 197 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen. After Wirtz’s Anfield debut in a 3-2 win over Athletic Bilbao on Monday. Slot said: "I think there's always room for improvement in every department.

"Like I said, we've added a few, in my opinion, extra weapons. So, Florian (Wirtz) has a lot of creativity in the final third.

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"We've lost with Trent (Alexander-Arnold) 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.

"But he brings that creativity, the pace of Hugo (Ekitike), the pace of both full-backs – Milos (Kerkez) and Jeremie (Frimpong) today."

Liverpool are set to take their summer spending to over £400m if they land Alexander Isak in the coming weeks. They’ve made a huge investment in the squad with the arrivals of Wirtz, Frimpong, Milos Kerkez, Giorgi Mamardashvili and Hugo Ekitike so far.

The defending Premier League champions are not afraid to spend big. "Our competitors are not sitting still," added Slot, whose side face Crystal Palace in Sunday’s Community Shield before their league opener against Bournemouth a week on Friday.

"Not only they try to improve as well but they have also made a lot of signings, like we all have done. So that's why it's going to be a very interesting Premier League in the upcoming year again."

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