The former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder believes he is in the right environment to showcase his talent
Florian Wirtz has said he is looking forward to competing in the Premier League and is not bothered by the size of the fee that brought him to Anfield.
The German begins life at Liverpool with high expectations having joined for a fee rising to £116m, a Premier League record.
Wirtz said: “I don’t think about this. I just want to play football. How much money the clubs pay between each other doesn’t matter.”
Liverpool are trying to build on last season’s title-winning campaign and have made significant investment in the transfer window.
The club’s signings have majorly been focused on their attacking setup. Two young overlapping full-backs in Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez have been brought in to replace the new Real Madrid man Alexander-Arnold and the aging Andy Robertson respectively, while Wirtz, in attacking midfield, will combine with new striker Hugo Ekitike.
The former Bayer Leverkusen midfielder believes he is in the right environment to showcase his talent.
“I’m a player who needs freedom on the pitch and the manager gives that to me,” said Wirtz. “Of course, I have to respect the position and the players around me. But I try to give my best on the pitch and find the right places. I have the freedom to do that.”
The Premier League has a reputation as the most challenging league in the world. And there might be fact behind it: a recent report by ESPN showed that all 20 of its teams are usually ranked among the top 50 in the world. No other league in Europe has even 10 clubs in that group.
Wirtz, however, is unfazed by the challenge.
“I will try to find the right places to be and the right spaces to get the ball, and to be dangerous and create chances,” the £116m man said.
“I’ve not played a match in the Premier League yet, but I’m looking forward to it. That’s why I came here. I’m really looking forward to playing in it.
“There will of course be some differences from the German league but that’s something I can learn. It will make me better.”
