Slot has found the new Suarez in Liverpool’s “unicorn”

When Liverpool signed Luis Suarez from Dutch giants Ajax in January 2011, there was a common acceptance {that a} deal was attainable as a result of Europe’s main golf equipment, of which Liverpool weren’t one in that former section, had been dissuaded by his conduct.

Suarez, now 38 and taking part in Main League Soccer with Inter Miami, will retire as some of the adorned and best strikers of his era. He shall be remembered by many for his unbelievable goalscoring report and mesmeric actions and skill to mix with attacking teammates.

However he may also be remembered for his risky and aggressive nature. Suarez performs together with his coronary heart on his sleeve, however not all the time in a sporting style. He’s each bark and chunk.

Even so, he was a celebrity for Liverpool, and lots of others in addition to. Trumping him would take some doing at quantity 9, and for all their success beneath Jurgen Klopp and now Arne Slot, it’s one thing the Reds haven’t achieved but.

Nicely, not till this summer time. Now, Liverpool could haven’t one however two new centre-forwards able to emulating the Uruguayan’s Premier League legacy.

Liverpool’s new strikers

Meet Liverpool’s new strikers. Hugo Ekitike has already familiarised himself with the Anfield crowd, scoring three targets and supplying an help throughout his first three matches for the membership.

Liverpool gained a charged race for his signature, beating off quite a lot of rivals, notably Newcastle United, to signal the French ahead in a £69m deal, plus £10m in add-ons.

And he is repaying the religion. Ekitike appears to be like at house within the Premier League, main the road. Nonetheless solely 23, maybe essentially the most thrilling half is that Ekitike has a lot potential, and there is little query that FSG have hit the jackpot, even given his lofty price ticket.

Aleander Isak hardly wants an introduction. Liverpool signed Newcastle’s star striker in a British report £125m deal on switch deadline day, ending a month of hypothesis that was as contentious because it was compelling.

The Sweden worldwide scored 27 targets throughout all competitions in 2024/25 and gained the Carabao Cup, scoring as Eddie Howe’s facet beat Liverpool at Wembley.

Erling Haaland is the one participant to have scored at a extra scientific fee within the Premier League since Isak left Actual Sociedad in Spain and joined Newcastle for £63m. Even Mohamed Salah, in all his brilliance, hasn’t offered the identical frequency.

Little question, Isak hopes to go away a legacy corresponding to that of Suarez, and Ekitike will too. Nonetheless, Liverpool’s new model of the South American star is definitely one other member of Slot’s squad.

Liverpool’s new model of Suarez

Suarez was a maverick, a game-changer. Not often has the Premier League seen such boundless high quality in a single man, and he virtually single-handedly dragged Brendan Rodgers’ Liverpool to the top-flight title in 2013/14, scoring 31 targets and aiding 13 extra as he plied a marketing campaign for the ages.

However he did not fairly hit the bottom operating just a few years earlier, when he joined from Ajax. Suarez scored off the bench on his Premier League debut, netting in opposition to Stoke Metropolis in a 2-0 win.

Then the goalscorer would go on to bag simply as soon as throughout his first eight beginning appearances within the competitors. The circumstances differ, however this curious reality might be utilized to contextualise the gradual begin of Florian Wirtz.

Wirtz, 22, joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for a record-breaking £116m charge that was swiftly outdated by Isak. The attacking midfielder is likely one of the most proficient footballers on the planet and has earned approval for his performances in his German homeland.

Fleet ft and a pointy help for Ekitike within the Group Protect issued a solemn warning to the remainder of English soccer, however 4 video games into the league marketing campaign, the £195k-per-week expertise has but to interrupt his duck.

Journalist Declan Carr conceded that the marquee arrival “has struggled since becoming a member of Liverpool”, however there may be little purpose for concern. As journalist Sam McGuire famous, he’s a “statistical unicorn” – a “last third freak”.

Devastating within the Bundesliga and equally as mesmerising throughout his exploits within the Champions League, Wirtz has confirmed himself on each stage, and regardless of his relative struggles thus far, information from Sofascore reveals that he’s averaging two key passes per sport for Liverpool, additionally successful 50% of his floor duels and finishing 60% of his dribbles.

In an identical manner, Suarez was all the time going to be a star on Merseyside. Maybe he outgrew his status and potential, turning into the most effective to do it, however nonetheless, the ahead simply wanted a little bit of time to seek out his ft.

Suarez won’t have made the quickest begin in Premier League historical past, however he performed and fought and gained like a person possessed as soon as he bought going.

And Wirtz carries himself with the air of the footballing elite. You possibly can see it when he takes a deft contact, scans and rolls his manner via and into house. There is a tenacity in his play and an undercurrent which is simply ready to erupt.

Has it been a disappointing begin? Maybe. Wirtz has not been unhealthy, by any stretch, however those that anticipated him to set the English sport aflame from the get-go could be forgiven, as he value a big sum, in any case.

However Wirtz is younger and adapting to a brand new league; Liverpool, let’s not neglect, are adapting to a brand new system, and have emerged from a summer time switch window characterised by upheaval and alter.

It’s a matter of when, not if, and if Wirtz retains on as he has been, he’ll quickly discover himself taking part in with all of the gusto of Suarez in his Liverpool prime, and the plaudits will comply with.