Steve Nicol says Arne Slot now has a big 'problem' after signing Alexander Isak for Liverpool
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Liverpool’s summer transfer window has been transformative for the team, but it has made choosing a first-team squad difficult.
A £450 million window for Arne Slot’s title-winning team has seen them bring in reinforcements in positions across the park, but especially in attack.
Incomings Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike have made the Reds a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League, with the latter already showing his special qualities, scoring two goals and assisting one in three appearances.
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The side already have quality in the forward areas, with Mohamed Salah and Cody Gakpo usually leading the line.
But this quality up front will likely make it difficult for one of Slot’s biggest summer signings, Florian Wirtz, who has not hit the ground running in the league yet.
The German has primarily found himself in the midfield three; unfortunately, he has not grabbed the headlines with his performances.
There were encouraging signs over the international break, with his great performance in a 3-1 win against Northern Ireland, where the star netted himself a free-kick goal and impressed when playing off the left-hand side.
This positioning for his national side could be the key to unlocking his potential at Anfield, even though he faces competition from his fellow newcomers.
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Former Reds right back Steve Nicol believes it will be a very difficult decision for the manager, considering the competition for up front positions.
Speaking to ESPN FC, the former Scottish international was convinced that any change of position for Florian could impact his game time.
He said: “The problem he’s got is because of Isak coming in, because of Ekitike coming in, because how good Gakpo’s been, you can’t drop Salah.
Now, had Liverpool not had such a big squad, you could just say to this guy, look, 10, 11, 12 games, just forget about it.
Maybe that 10 or 12 games, maybe gets cut in half because of the quality you’ve got, because if you want to win the Premier League, you can’t carry passengers, and right now Florian unfortunately is a bit of a passenger because he’s not contributing to any side of the ball.”
A change of position for the No.
7 could be a benefit to both himself and Milos Kerkez after what he did for Germany, if he is allowed to drop deeper or play off that left-hand side.
But it is a conundrum for the Liverpool boss, given how Ekitike has impressed and the potential goal-scoring threat of Isak up top.
It brings into question where the midfielder will find minutes if he is struggling in the centre of the park.
While it has been a difficult experience overall, there is no denying the qualities he has displayed, especially in his first start in the Community Shield, which ended in a loss to Crystal Palace.
He created four chances for the side while assisting Liverpool’s new French forward and delivered 11 passes into the final third, which were hugely impactful despite the result.
Those numbers were created through his current position at the club.
Still, games against Arsenal and Newcastle as a player’s introduction to England’s top division are a difficult task for any star signing.
A start against Burnley at the weekend is more than likely for the 22-year-old, and helping his country to victory with a solid performance on the left could be the boost he needs to push on at the club.