Andoni Iraola has already mapped out where Florian Wirtz is likely to fit at Liverpool. The German arrived for £116m last summer, and Iraola said the club will start working with him in the position behind the striker, rather than leaving him out on the left.

Iraola's view on Wirtz

"I see him probably more that position behind the striker," Iraola said. "We know that he was played more on the left sometimes but we are going to start working with in that position behind the striker."

He was even more direct about what Liverpool expect from him this season. "He is going to be massive for us this season," he said, which is about as clear a sign as you will get that the club see him as a central creative piece, not just another wide option.

The numbers back up the fit. Wirtz posted a 7.59 average rating across 4 World Cup appearances and added 3 assists in those games. That is the profile Liverpool are trying to put in front of Alexander Isak, not beside him.

The Isak side of the picture

Isak is part of the same build-up in Chicago, where Liverpool are based for pre-season. Iraola said he will have three or four weeks of quality training before Liverpool expect a fuller version of him, which is the relevant part of the Isak conversation right now.

There is also the club-level context around his first campaign, with the reporting saying he scored just four goals last season and has not yet completed a full 90 minutes for Liverpool. Those details are contested in the source material, but they do underline why the early weeks of this pre-season matter for him.

Isak's own World Cup numbers point to a player who can contribute in more than one phase, with 3 assists in 4 appearances and a 7.29 average rating. Liverpool do not need him isolated as a pure finisher if Wirtz is operating behind him.

The next checkpoint is Sunday night's friendly against Leeds. That is where Liverpool will start turning Iraola's preferred shape into something visible on the pitch.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →