Florian Wirtz produced his best performance yet in a Liverpool shirt during the 3-2 win over Atletico Madrid, with Jeremie Frimpong saying “he’s just getting started.”
Due to his £116 million price tag, Wirtz has begun to attract scrutiny over his form in these early weeks of the season.
But the Germany international is visibly improving and Wednesday’s Champions League victory over Atletico was arguably his most accomplished display yet.
Per FotMob, no player created more chances than Wirtz (five), who also had the most touches of the ball in the opposition box (eight).
Speaking to All Red Video after the game, the playmaker’s close friend and long-time teammate Frimpong insisted there is a lot more to come.
“He’s just getting started, you know?” the right-back said.
“Obviously I’ve been with him for four years in Leverkusen, so I know what he can do. I’m seeing that it’s coming, there’s a lot more to see from him.”
Wirtz was a major focus in Arne Slot‘s post-match press conference, too, with the head coach explaining the adjustment period his new No. 7 is facing – having gone through similar this time last year.
“He was indeed a few times close to scoring a goal, he was also a few times close to assisting a goal,” Slot told reporters at Anfield.
“I think he was the one who created the most chances for us today.
“I can see with him as well also that he’s getting fitter and fitter and adjusting more and more to us, which is normal, you need a bit of time to adjust.
“We all know how much quality he has, but sometimes people forget that he’s a 22-year-old that comes for the first time abroad.
“Last year I came when I was 46 and it was my first time that I started working abroad, the first two or three months your whole life is changing.
‘Wirtz’s whole life is changing’
“All the things which are normal to you are not normal anymore, because the roads here are different, everything is different. That sometimes costs energy as well.
“Combine that with going to a new club, new playing style. In Leverkusen they played 3-4-3, we play 4-3-3, so we ask a bit more from him off the ball defensively maybe as well.
“But I can see him growing, growing, growing, more and more and more, and I think that is what you can expect from a quality player. They always adjust to what they need.
“He and the team will get better and better, but I liked his performance today a lot.”