Florian Wirtz gives honest verdict on fellow new Liverpool signing Hugo Ekitike after first Anfield game together

Ekitike was snapped up by Liverpool from Eintracht Frankfurt for an initial fee of £69 million, making him the club’s second most expensive signing of the summer after Wirtz. Both new recruits made their first appearances at Anfield during Monday night’s double-header against Athletic Bilbao, where Arne Slot's men claimed victory on both occasions. 

Wirtz dazzled fans with his trademark close control and quick feet in Liverpool's 3-2 win over Athletic Club in the second game, showcasing the technical quality that made him one of Europe’s most sought-after midfielders at Bayer Leverkusen. Meanwhile, Ekitike made a notable contribution in the first half by setting up Mohamed Salah for one of Liverpool’s goals, combining force and finesse in a move that drew loud approval from the Anfield faithful. 

Wirtz has expressed his admiration for Ekitike’s abilities in an interview with The Times: "He is a really good player. I enjoyed watching him at Frankfurt, and I was really happy that he decided to come to us. In the training sessions already, he went well and also in the game, we had some combinations that were good. I am really happy that I can play with him.

"It is good that we have a few players that come at the same time, so we can connect a little bit and talk to each other about how we deal with it. That helps when you come to a new team."

Slot’s side will hope to carry the momentum from their pre-season victories into Sunday’s Community Shield encounter against Crystal Palace at Wembley, a match that offers the Reds their first chance at silverware in the 2025-26 campaign. Following the Wembley showdown, Liverpool will open their Premier League title defence at home against Bournemouth next Friday.