Arne Slot's perfect first Liverpool transfer has already announced himself

Florian Wirtz would undoubtedly be a dream transfer for Arne Slot and Liverpool. The young German was imperious for Bayer Leverkusen in their unbeaten Bundesliga season with 18 goals and 20 assists to his name from 49 appearances in all competitions.

Unfortunately for Liverpool, interest from the reigning European champions Real Madrid could complicate their plans. According to Spanish outlet Marca, an agreement is already in place that will see Wirtz sign for the Spanish giants in 2025 with suggestions the deal could be as high as €150million (£127m).

Interest from Madrid is not the only stumbling block for Liverpool though, with it clear from the perspective of Leverkusen, Wirtz will not be going anywhere. "He will stay," Leverkusen chief Simon Rolfes told Sky Sports last month. "His father and agent said it before. He has a contract here and he's really happy.

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"This is the right place for him to develop as a player and person. His future is bright that's for sure. He is such a good player and shows a great will to win and to work. It's not normally the attributes of a number 10 but he combines talent with the work rate of a six or a defensive player along with producing special magic moments."

Under Xabi Alonso, Wirtz has upped his game massively and thus looks set to be a huge part of Germany's European championship campaign. In the most recent season, his versatility was shown as a key trait with Slot already having the perfect role for him at Liverpool if he were to make the move.

At Feyenoord, the Dutch coach deployed a 4-2-3-1 formation in possession and a 4-4-2 when pressing, with Wirtz perfect for that attacking midfield and second striker role. The 21-year-old's passing range is a huge strength alongside his ability to glide beyond players and he would likely be the only player capable of meeting Slot's demands for that role.

Under Jurgen Klopp, none of Harvey Elliot, Curtis Jones, Dominik Szoboszlai or Ryan Gravenberch really showed they could emulate what Martin Odegaard or Kevin De Bruyne do at Arsenal and Manchester City, respectively. Like Wirtz though, Slot is far from a one-dimensional manager with a 4-3-3 often utilised depending on the game scenario.

In one of Leverkusen's biggest games of the season, a 3-0 win over Bayern Munich, Wirtz starred at the tip of attack with it very clear he can fill a number of roles in Slot's Liverpool.