Teen Prodigy Florian Wirtz Boosts Liverpool; Slot Still Seeks Reinforcement

Liverpool lost 4-2 to AC Milan in their first match of the pre-season tour of Asia. The Reds conceded early to a goal by Rafael Leao before Dominik Szoboszlai equalized. Noah Okafor scored twice, Ruben Loftus-Cheek added another goal for Milan, and Cody Gakpo scored a consolation goal for Liverpool. The team will now head to Tokyo for the next leg of their tour.

Joe Gomez returned to England due to an Achilles injury during the tour. With Jarell Quansah transferred to Bayer Leverkusen, Liverpool is left with three senior center-backs. Ryan Gravenberch and Kostas Tsimikas played in defense but may not be long-term solutions. Real Madrid is interested in Ibrahima Konate, whose contract expires next summer.

Virgil van Dijk made uncharacteristic mistakes in defense during the match. Milos Kerkez, a new signing, was also caught off guard. Florian Wirtz impressed in his first game, showing potential to transform the team. Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni from the academy also showcased promising performances.

Luis Diaz and Darwin Nunez were absent from the matchday squad, fueling speculation about their future at the club. Bayern Munich is preparing a bid for Diaz, while Nunez's departure is also anticipated. Alexis Mac Allister is back in training, and Wataru Endo is expected to feature in Japan after recovering from illness.