Florian Wirtz handed RIDICULOUS test before even signing

Florian Wirtz hasn't quite joined Liverpool and he's already been handed a tough test. Welcome to Anfield!

There isn't much doubt that Florian Wirtz is going to sign for Liverpool. The German is set to arrive on Merseyside this Friday to have a medical and complete a deal.

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Wirtz will instantly become the most expensive player in the Reds' history. The initial £100m sent to Bayer Leverkusen actually eclipses Virgil van Dijk's current record of £75m by some way - and it may go even higher.

There's potential here for Wirtz's move to become the British transfer record if all add-ons are met. Liverpool haven't broken that record since 1995.

Of course, he'll need to be a success for that to happen but he'll need to be some sort of success if he's to justify the £100m part of the deal.

The pressure is on right from the start, in other words, as everyone looks to see if he's worth the hype. And let's be honest: the knives will be out in some quarters as they look for any sign of failure.

Which is why it's quite incredible that he's been handed a ridiculous test before even signing for Liverpool.

READ MORE: Liverpool set to break transfer record for SECOND time

Florian Wirtz is already up against it

The Premier League fixture list was revealed on Wednesday and Opta have done some analysis on it. They've looked into the toughest starts, using an algorithm to score the difficulty of facing each team.

They score Liverpool as having the toughest opening 10 fixtures, with an average opponent rating of 93.5. This is contrast to last season, where they judged Liverpool to have been given the sixth easiest start - something that proved relatively correct as Arne Slot dropped points in just two of those fixtures.

Now, this time around it's less of a concern for Slot. He knows his team, he knows the league, and he's very aware that Liverpool can win it.

But for Wirtz? It's a tough start. Liverpool get given the toughest fixture list of them all and at a time when all eyes are on him.

There is a silver lining, of course. Wirtz could get a fast start and look fantastic from the off. Doing so would immediately shut up all the doubters and without any excuses.

READ MORE: Liverpool want centre-back who BEAT Van Dijk to Premier League record

We imagine, though, that he would have preferred a more routine start as he finds his feet with a new team in a new country. Instead, English football is set to test him from the get-go.