Arne Slot has hinted that Florian Wirtz would be his ideal number nine at Liverpool

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Liverpool have a number of questions to answer when this year’s summer transfer window rolls around.

There is plenty to sort out at Anfield as the Reds look to build on what is looking like being a successful season.

One of the key issues is likely to be surrounding what happens in the centre-forward position for Liverpool.

Given that he has not been convinced by Darwin Nunez and has seen Diogo Jota injured far too often, Arne Slot clearly wants to bring in his own man.

More often than not, Luis Diaz has been operating as a kind of ‘false nine’ in Slot’s best XI. But while he has had some success in the role, it is obvious that Diaz is more at home out wide.

With Nunez, Jota and Diaz all being very different profiles – and all being given a reasonable amount of game time – it has been hard to nail down what Slot wants from his central attacker. Handily, though, the Liverpool head coach has just delivered the blueprint.

Arne Slot’ outlines his ideal number nine

At the start of the season, Jota was the player who Slot preferred to play in the middle of his attack.

There is little question that the Portuguese is good enough to be the regular starter for Liverpool, but his history of injury problems means that the Reds cannot rely on him.

With so much chopping and changing, Slot has been asked to clarify what exactly he wants from his centre-forward. Would he like them to be a ‘facilitator’ or someone who purely gets goals.

“I will be happy if that player becomes both,” the Dutchman said in his pre-Tottenham press conference on Wednesday.

READ MORE: Liverpool’s busy summer plans revealed as big changes expected in five different positions

“So, facilitator and scoring goals himself. That’s what we want to achieve in the end.”

“In the end the number nine should be a facilitator, like a winger, but a winger and a number nine should also score goals.”

Florian Wirtz is the man for Liverpool

This is an interesting answer from Slot. Some managers want their centre-forwards to score goals and that’s it. Others – and Jurgen Klopp’s use of Roberto Firmino springs to mind here – prefer them to do much more beisdes.

Back in 2022, we at Rousing The Kop suggested that Florian Wirtz could be Firmino’s successor at Liverpool. With Slot now searching for that option, we don’t believe anything has changed.

When it comes to both scoring and creating in equal measure, few players in the world can stack up against Wirtz. After 18 goals and 19 assists in 2023/24, the 21-year-old has 15 and 10 respectively this time. No wonder Wirtz has been dubbed ‘exceptional‘ for his displays this season.

Quite rightly, the Germany international would cost a bomb this summer. Reports have claimed a £90m price-tag. However, the evidence is there that Wirtz can be the ‘facilitator’ and the goal-getter that Slot is after and Liverpool should have the money there to spend.

Other giant clubs will no doubt be sniffing around, too. But if Slot can promise Wirtz a central role as his main man in attack, we don’t see why Liverpool cannot be in with a shout. He looks the ideal choice. Now go and get him.