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Data shows stats for Szoboszlai and Mac Allister in 2024-25 for Liverpool.
Possession won in the final third

Wirtz plays as a false nine...

Liverpool's wide areas are under lock and key. Mohamed Salah holds the right side, while Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo offer variety on the left - assuming they both stay.

Diaz's sublime goal for Colombia against Argentina in this international window underlined the ingenuity he brings, while Gakpo - so often called to the touchline by Slot for the sharing of information - is invaluable in a multitude of ways.

Last season, Gakpo made nine headed clearances - more than any player listed in the article - and his duel success at 51% comfortably outstrips those mentioned.

Diaz, of course, has played centrally too, boosting the variety available to Slot.

But is it indeed the centre-forward role where Wirtz will be deployed? A false nine position - dropping to receive es, creating room for runs into central spaces for the likes of Salah, Gakpo and Diaz.

It would be a style Kopites have seen before, when Roberto Firmino built his legacy by retreating from forward positions into areas where he could link play, thus allowing the relentless Salah and Sadio Mane to prosper from wider berths.

The output of Diogo Jota and Darwin Nunez perhaps points to the central-attacking area being the one where Liverpool lack a man in form.

Slot's decision will be fascinating. The qualities of the players available to him once the Wirtz deal gets over the line lend themselves to flexibility and fluid changes of position.

The expected Wirtz move has thrilled fans. The question now is from what area of the pitch he will he try to thrill them once wearing the red of Liverpool?

How will Slot use Wirtz in his team if German s? Have your say here

Data shows stats for Jota, Nunez and Diaz in 2024-25 for Liverpool.
Shot conversion rate: Jota - 12%, Nunez - 15%, Diaz - 18%
Possession won in final third: Jota - 9 times, Nunez - 9 times, Diaz - 22 times
Goals: Jota - 6, Nunez - 5, Diaz - 13
Big chances created: Jota - 3, Nunez - 3, Diaz - 8
Assists: Jota - 3, Nunez - 2, Diaz - 5

Wirtz swayed by 'centrepiece' rolepublished at 08:29 12 June

German football expert Constantin Eckner believes Florian Wirtz chose Liverpool over Bayern Munich because he will be the star playmaker at the Premier League champions.

Eckner told BBC Sport Wirtz and his family spoke to Bayern Munich, among other clubs, but a conversation with Reds boss Arne Slot convinced him to make the move to Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen.

"What ultimately influenced his decision is that Arne Slot in particular offered Wirtz the best plan for the next couple of years, meaning Wirtz will be Liverpool's number 10 - the centrepiece," said Eckner.

"Of course Mohamed Salah is still there, but how many more years will he play for Liverpool? His days are somewhat numbered. Then, Wirtz will be the centrepiece of the Reds attacking system.

"At Bayern, Wirtz would have been one of two playmakers alongside Jamal Musiala. These two play together for the national team, but still Wirtz wouldn't have been the main playmaker for Bayern - so I feel like that's something that influenced his decision."

Gossip: Reds preparing move for Barcolapublished at 07:47 12 June

Liverpool are set to swoop for Paris St-Germain's 22-year-old forward Bradley Barcola - even after completing a deal for Bayer Leverkusen's attacker Florian Wirtz, 22. (Sun), external

Bayer Leverkusen are considering a move for Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah, 22. (Athletic - subscription required), external

Uruguay striker Darwin Nunez is likely to leave Liverpool this summer, with Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal making about the 25-year-old this week. (Talksport), external

Nunez, though, is understood to favour staying in Europe, with a move to Spain or Italy his preference. (Mirror), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Thursday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Wirtz to £100m club?published at 13:45 11 June

Florian Wirtz, Enzo Fernandez, Moises Caicedo

Florian Wirtz will become the 10th player to go for a fee of £100m or more if his move to Liverpool completes as expected.

The British record for an initial fee remains Chelsea's £107m recruit of Benfica midfielder Enzo Fernandez in 2023.

Months later, the Blues signed Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo for an initial £100m fee - that could rise to a British club record of £115m.

Wirtz's fee would be only about half that of the world record, which remains the £200m Paris St-Germain paid for Brazil superstar Neymar in 2017.

Liverpool finalising £114m Wirtz dealpublished at 12:45 11 June

Sami Mokbel
Senior football correspondent

Liverpool's move for Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Florian Wirtz is at an advanced stage, with the clubs in discussions over the structure of a transfer that could be worth £114m.

The Reds submitted a third formal bid for the playmaker last week, worth £100m guaranteed and a further £14m of add-ons.

If completed, it would smash the club's £75m record g of captain Virgil van Dijk from Southampton.

Sources have told BBC Sport that talks are now focused on the structure of the final details of the transfer, including the value of the add-ons and how achievable they are. Leverkusen had valued the midfielder at about £126m.

Wirtz, 22, has made it clear that his preference is to move to Anfield following interest from Manchester City and Bayern Munich.

He made his debut for Leverkusen at the age of 17 and has scored 57 goals in 197 games for the club.

He helped them win the Bundesliga for the first time in 2024 and has scored seven goals in 31 appearances for .

Social popularity - which Premier League club leads the way?published at 11:17 11 June

Most subscriptions across social platforms in Premier League

Manchester United hold bragging rights as the most popular Premier League club across social platforms, according to CIES Football Observatory., external

Ranking third overall behind Real Madrid and Barcelona, Manchester United total 233.6 million subscribers and followers across X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.

Rivals Manchester City are second highest out of Premier League clubs and fifth overall with 179.5m, with Liverpool (166.7m) and Chelsea (152.9m) just behind.

Arsenal also make the global top 10 with 114.1m, meaning there are five English teams inside the top 10.

Spurs just miss out in 11th with 108.1m, but they did gain an extra 700,000 followers over their North London rivals since June 2024.

A total of 15 English clubs make the top 100, with Leeds United squeezing into the 100th spot with 6.4m.

While fans may not sing about social media followers, global interest has a hand in paying the bills at their beloved football clubs.

Gossip: Wirtz on the waypublished at 07:59 11 June

Florian Wirtz is set for a Liverpool medical after they agreed a deal in principle with Bayer Leverkusen for the 22-year-old midfielder, worth £127m including add-ons. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Hungary left-back Milos Kerkez, 21, is on the verge of a £45m move to Liverpool from Bournemouth. (Telegraph - subscription required), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Liverpool to play Athletic Bilbao in double-headerpublished at 14:35 10 June

General view of pitch and stand inside Anfield

Liverpool have confirmed the final fixtures of their pre-season programme with a double-header against Athletic Bilbao.

The back-to-back matches will take place at Anfield on Monday, 4 August at 17:00 and 20:00 BST.

They will be the final friendlies Liverpool play before getting the new season under way with the Community Shield match against Crystal Palace at Wembley the following Sunday.

The games against Athletic round off a summer schedule that includes a pre-season tour of Asia where the Reds will take on AC Milan in Hong Kong on 26 July before a meeting with J1 League club Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan on 30 July.

Arne Slot's side's first pre-season game is against Preston North End at Deepdale on 13 July.

From 'finish with Jurgen' to Man City and Guardiolapublished at 13:24 10 June

Pepijn Lijnders once called Jurgen Klopp his "proper football brother," but now he has ed one of his biggest rivals in Pep Guardiola.

Manchester City have confirmed Lijnders will become a part of Guardiola's coaching staff, along with former Liverpool opposition analyst James French.

The 42-year-old was Klopp's assistant when Liverpool won the Premier League and Champions League, standing down from the role when the German left the club in 2024.

Speaking last year, Lijnders told the Liverpool club website: "I always said I will finish with Jurgen; the moment I will not assist anyone else, that's the moment I will go and I will manage. That was always the case.

"I owe this club everything. They don't owe me anything, to be honest. It's 10 years full of dedication. So when we [me and Jurgen] spoke, it was clear for me, I go and manage, and we end this project together," he added.

Lijnders has had two spells as a manager - briefly leaving Liverpool in 2018 to manage NEC in the Netherlands, before a spell with Red Bull Salzburg at the beginning of last season, with both culminating in his dismissal.

Without a club since December, the Dutchman has taken the step back from being a manager and once again will be an assistant.