Florian Wirtz's Fresh Start at Liverpool

Florian Wirtz has been back at Liverpool for only a couple of days, but already the smile is back on his face.

A bruising first season in England has given way to something that feels fresh. New manager. New role. New demands. And, crucially for Wirtz, a chance to start again.

Wirtz finds his place under Iraola

Andoni Iraola has wasted no time in making one big call: Wirtz will be his number 10.

No drifting out to the flank, no shuttling between roles. The German will operate in the thick of it, behind the striker, where he has always looked most dangerous.

"I just can say that the training is really fun," Wirtz said, speaking to club media. "I enjoyed every training [session]. We play a lot of games and possessions, and that’s exactly what I like. I just enjoyed it until now."

The sessions have been sharp, heavy on the ball, built around quick combinations and tight spaces. It suits him. This is what Liverpool thought they were buying from Bayer Leverkusen: a playmaker who thrives when the game whirls around him.

Last season, though, never really caught fire.

"Of course I wasn’t happy at all (last year) — about the season, I mean," he admitted. "I was not unhappy every day when I came to training, but I think we expected much more."

Seven goals and 10 assists in his debut campaign is a respectable return on paper, yet Wirtz clearly judges himself by a harsher standard. Liverpool do too. Both club and player know there is another level to reach.

So he draws a line under year one.

"I think we start from zero this season. Also here with this training camp, it’s a new start. We have a lot of things to do better this season and I’m very excited for season two."

A new voice at Anfield, a familiar legend for Germany

That sense of renewal stretches beyond Liverpool.

Wirtz will work under two new managers this season: Iraola at club level and Jurgen Klopp with Germany. For a 21-year-old already carrying the creative burden for both teams, those are seismic changes.

"It’s very, very cool that [Klopp is] there now," Wirtz said. "I’ve not spoken to him yet but a lot of people here at the club told me about him, that he is a fantastic guy. All of Liverpool loves him. So, I’m very excited to meet him in a few months."

The irony is obvious. Klopp, the man who defined Liverpool’s modern era, now waits for Wirtz on the international stage just as Iraola tries to build his own identity at Anfield. Wirtz sits right at the crossroads of those two projects.

For Liverpool, Iraola’s clarity over his role is crucial. For Germany, Klopp’s arrival offers a different kind of platform: a coach who knows exactly what it takes to squeeze the most out of a gifted No.10 in high-pressure games.

Isak the spearhead, Wirtz the supplier

If Wirtz is the architect of Iraola’s attack, Alexander Isak is expected to be the finisher.

The striker is now fully fit and, in his manager’s eyes, ready to become a central figure in the new era.

"I think he has come in a good place," Iraola said of Isak earlier this week. "I think he was good in the World Cup. I saw him comfortable. First training [sessions] here, I think I’ve seen a good version of Alex."

The plan is simple: build him up quickly, but properly.

"Still, it’s very early because he has just started training, but I hope he can have some minutes against Leeds and build properly a proper pre-season.

"It’s not going to be very long but he will have three or four weeks of quality training, I hope, and we can put him in a good place because he is going to be massive for us this season."

Behind him, Wirtz. Around them, the pieces still moving.

Bradley Barcola remains a live target, with Liverpool exploring whether a deal can be struck with PSG. If he arrives, he would add another direct, high-speed option on the wing, stretching the pitch for Wirtz to thread passes into Isak.

For now, though, the focus is on the core: a gifted playmaker, a fit centre-forward, and a coach determined to lock them into clearly defined roles.

Wirtz calls it a new start. Iraola calls Isak “massive” for the season ahead. If those two click, Liverpool might soon be calling it something else: the foundation of their next great side.