Liverpool star draws comparison to Neymar as Arne Slot ace praised - 'Why I'm excited'
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Liverpool FC NewsFeaturesLiverpool FCFormer Liverpool player Neil Mellor says one of Arne Slot's stars reminds him of Neymar, despite there being much more to come from him after a big-money transfer moveNeymar looks on during a game between Santos and Coritiba in April 2026(Image: Marco Buenavista/Sports Press Photo/Getty Images)Former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor has compared Florian Wirtz to Neymar after watching the German playmaker in his first season in the Premier League.Wirtz has contributed 16 goals and assists in all competitions after signing from Bayer Leverkusen for a fee that could reach $133 million (£116 million), including add-ons. He has shown glimpses of his quality, but there is still much more to come from him in a Liverpool jersey.Mellor, though, says there is one aspect of his skillset that is very impressive — and a rare attribute in the modern game that Arne Slot will be able to see more of next season.READ MORE: Juventus chief denies Mohamed Salah transfer claim as Liverpool star decides next moveREAD MORE: How many points Liverpool needs to qualify for Champions League after Chelsea loss"I tell you who people always say is overrated was Neymar," Mellor said on The Football Historian Podcast."I was always a big fan of Neymar because I thought he was one of the bravest footballers I ever met."I didn’t like his antics on the floor and the way he behaved.
But I don’t see many players want the ball as much as him and I think Wirtz for Liverpool is similar in that wanting the ball so much.Arne Slot and Florian Wirtz during Liverpool vs PSG(Image: Jean Catuffe/Getty Images)"There are not many players in modern football [who say] 'give me the ball' to create things. So that’s why I’m excited about Wirtz."Next season, with a full season under his belt, Wirtz should be able to take the next step at Liverpool.
Learn moreFrom $100LFC.comSee the dealLiverpool's home and away strips for the 2025/26 season are the first in their new partnership with adidas.Fans can order jerseys in the US at Fanatics.com or via the LFC Online Store in both the US and across the world."The main thing is how we were able to compete against Paris Saint-Germain after only being two days off, with them being rested for a week; how we have been able to compete against the other quarter-finalists here at home."Then you see that with doing the right things in the summer and not being as unlucky as we were this season, we can have a better season."Liverpool.com says: Wirtz is clearly very talented. His first season has been decent, but there is much more to come.