Dominik Szoboszlai, a Hungarian midfielder, has joined Liverpool from RB Leipzig.
After the Reds activated his £60.2 million release clause, the 22-year-old is expected to sign a five-year contract extension until the summer of 2028.
Szoboszlai is Liverpool’s second summer acquisition, following former Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister to the club.
The former Red Bull Salzburg player will wear the number eight shirt for the Reds, which was most recently worn by Naby Keita before his free transfer departure.
Szoboszlai will follow in the footsteps of other Reds legends who have worn the number eight jersey, including Steven Gerrard, who wore it from 2004 to 2015.
Dominik Szoboszlai comments on joining Liverpool
“It’s really, really good. I enjoyed the last [few] days and I’m looking forward to knowing everybody better,”
Szoboszlai said in his first interview with liverpoolfc.com.
“The last three or four days went really long; it was not that easy. But at the end I’m here, I’m happy and I can’t wait to get started.”
“[A] really historic club, really good players, good coach, everything is good. For me it was perfect to make the next step in a club like this. The fans, the stadium, everything is really good.”
Szoboszlai left his home country in 2017 to join Salzburg’s youth system, where he climbed to prominence, directly contributing to 60 goals in 83 games.
Despite allegations of interest from Arsenal, Szoboszlai joined Leipzig in January 2021 for £18.9 million, and the 22-year-old scored 20 goals and assisted 22 times in 91 games for Die Roten Bullen.
Szoboszlai helped Leipzig win back-to-back DFB-Pokal titles in 2021-22 and 2022-23, scoring 10 goals and assisting 13 times in 46 games across all competitions last season.
Szoboszlai, a 32-cap Hungary international, has seven goals and two assists in 32 appearances for his country, and he was elected captain by his teammates and manager Marco Rossi last November.
Szoboszlai has previously stepped onto the Anfield pitch for Red Bull Salzburg’s 2019-20 Champions League encounter against Liverpool, which they lost 4-3 in the group round.
Recalling that seven-goal thriller, Szoboszlai added:
“This time made me feel bad because we lost 4-3! But of course, I’ve said it before, I’ve almost never been nervous before the game, I think this was the first time in my life.”
“Of course the stadium, the fans were unbelievable even [though] they were against us [Salzburg]. And we will see how it is when they are with me.”
“I heard that it [Anfield] is going to be bigger. Of course counting the days back because it’s a really proud time to get on the pitch in Anfield as a player for Liverpool.”
Szoboszlai has mostly played as a number 10 for club and country, but he has also played as a winger and number eight throughout his career.
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