Stan Collymore: Liverpool need to treat Wirtz like any other signing, not as a superstar
Ex-Liverpool striker Stan Collymore has told NewBettingOffers.co.uk that he thinks Florian Wirtz would be a stellar signing for his former club, but that Arne Slot’s squad need to be careful with how they welcome him, claiming too many bells and whistles might hinder his progress and impact.
Speaking to NewBettingOffers.co.uk, Collymore said: “I think Liverpool will play Florian Wirtz in a midfield three with Alexis MacAllister and Dominik Szoboszlai who will be tasked with the regular back-and-forth role as we’ve seen from them this season. They’ve both shown they’re extremely adept in attacking and creating chances, as well as defending.
“I’d imagine Wirtz will operate in a direct line from the centre circle to the opposition’s penalty area, then he can take players on and create chances like we’ve seen Kevin De Bruyne do for Manchester City for all these years. He’ll want to get his head up and play passes nice and early to find players like Mohamed Salah.
“Hopefully we’ll see players like Cody Gakpo, Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez be slow burners for Liverpool, I’d like them to stay in pre-season to play alongside Wirtz and figure out if there’s any natural synergy. I’m just intrigued that Liverpool appear to be ready to let Diaz and Nunez leave when they’re bringing in a creative midfielder who could get the best out of both of them. I’m interested to see what happens there.
do not reveal this lad as if he’s the second coming
“From a messaging perspective, the advice is simple, do not reveal this lad as if he’s the second coming. We remember players like Alexis Sanchez and Paul Pogba getting these extravagant entrances to Manchester United. If Liverpool go down that same route they’ll be making a rod for their own backs. They’ll make it more difficult for themselves.
“Liverpool isn’t that kind of club, though. It is a club built on the sum of its parts rather than individuals, and if they were to do that with a 22-year-old, all that would do is put a target on his back for journalists and Arne Slot would receive the same questions each week about him and the money spent. If they can keep a lid on that, they can let him do what he does best which is being a wonderful, creative attacking talent.
“He’s got at least five years of development still to go, and if they transition him in as low-key as they can, Liverpool will get the best out of him. That’d be my only concern – the player himself isn’t. The only thing to worry about is the way in which they bring a record-breaking signing into the club.”
I have full respect for Trent in his move to Madrid
Collymore lauded Trent Alexander-Arnold for his move to Real Madrid, citing experience overseas as a huge bonus not just in football, but also in life.
He said: “Trent Alexander-Arnold must have known he was going to Real Madrid for a while after they expressed interest in him last year. It wasn’t a secret that Madrid were coming in for him, and I imagine they’d been tapping him up for a while.
“He feels as though he’s won everything there is to win at Liverpool but the fans feel as though he hasn’t honoured the legacy career path that we saw from Steven Gerrard or Jamie Carragher. I have full respect for him, you can’t deny what he’s contributed to the club, he’s been one of the main men for the club for the last five or six years, winning two Premier League titles and a Champions League.
“Players often play within their comfort zone and there are many good players that stay in one place, which is why I like people like Jude Bellingham who’s been to Germany and Spain and then may come to the Premier League one day. It’s hugely valuable going abroad and picking up experience that will stand him in good stead not only within football, but for life in general.
“If someone were to take a more holistic view, he could’ve said he was going to stay and become a Liverpool legend but then he could get an injury and affect his performances and his legacy and then the fans would want to ship him out anyway.
He’ll be expected to make an impact and contribute immediately
“He’s left Liverpool where the fanbase wanted more from him to play for a club whose fans will expect a lot from him from the first minute in their Club World Cup campaign. He’ll be expected to make an impact and contribute immediately for them in La Liga and the Champions League as well.
“It’s not just about wearing the Madrid badge and winning trophies, but it’s about challenging yourself as a human being, and I take my hat off to Trent from that perspective.
“My only regret as a player was leaving it too late to move abroad. I had opportunities to go to Barcelona, Fiorentina and other Italian clubs and I wish I had done. I love travelling and experiencing other cultures so bringing football into that would have been great.”
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