I'm a player who needs freedom on the pitch and the manager gives that to me – Wirtz

LONG is the list of players for whom the weight of a club record transfer fee was simply too much to carry.

- By IAN DOYLE

For new Liverpool signing Florian Wirtz, though, there is no sense of any burden. Quite the opposite, in fact.

“I'm a player who needs freedom on the pitch and the manager gives that to me,” says Wirtz.

“Of course, I have to respect the position and the players around me. But I try to give my best on the pitch and find the right places. I have the freedom to do that.”

There was further evidence of such an approach on Monday when, in the second of the friendly doubleheader — against Athletic Bilbao, Wirtz impressed on his first Anfield appearance since a £116million arrival from Bayer Leverkusen in June.

Operating in the number 10 role, the 22-year-old again showed signs of an understanding with Mohamed Salah and twice came close to scoring during a lively first-half showing.

The ovation afforded Wirtz on his substitution midway through the second half indicated the home support were suitably impressed.

“I will try to find the right places to be and the right spaces to get the ball, and to be dangerous and create chances,” says the Germany international, speaking after Liverpool's 3-2 win.

“I’ve not played a match in the Premier League yet, but I'm looking forward to it. That's why I came here.”