New Liverpool signing Dominik Szoboszlai says moving to Anfield is the "perfect" step in his career progression after signing for the Premier League giants on a five-year contract.
The 22-year-old Hungary international underwent his medical on Merseyside over the weekend after Liverpool triggered his £60 million release clause at RB Leipzig on Friday.
Though the deal is subject to Szoboszlai receiving a work permit from the British government, Liverpool are confident they will make the highly rated Szoboszlai their second midfield signing of the summer after Alexis Mac Allister joined last month from Brighton & Hove Albion for £55m.
“The last three or four days went really long; it was not that easy. But at the end I’m here, I’m happy,” Szoboszlai told the club’s website.
“[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 scored 20 goals and provided 22 assists in 91 games for Leipzig as he helped them to win the German Cup and finish in the top four of the Bundesliga for the past two seasons.
Reds manager Jurgen Klopp views the former Red Bull Salzburg star as a similar multi-functional player who offers tactical flexibility after seeing his side stagnate last term.
Liverpool needed a late surge to clinch fifth place in the Premier League last season, missing out on qualification for the Champions League for the first time since 2016.
Szoboszlai was seen as a more viable alternative to Chelsea’s Mason Mount, in whom they were interested as he entered the final 12 months of his contract before he expressed a preference for Manchester United, as he is younger and negotiations proved far more straightforward.
Midfielders James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita all left Liverpool when their contracts expired at the end of last season.
Liverpool 2022/23 season ratings
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LIVERPOOL 2022/23 SEASON RATINGS: Alisson Becker - 10. Unquestionably Liverpool's player of the season. Had the Brazilian allowed his incredible standards to slip even slightly, then this campaign would have gone much, much worse for his team. Getty -
Caoimhin Kelleher - 7. Robbed of more cup chances by his teammates' poor showings in those competitions and was never going to displace Alisson in the Premier League. Surely ready for first-team football elsewhere. Reuters -
Adrian - 6. Made his only appearance of the season as the Community Shield was claimed in July. Seems happy enough with his lot at Anfield and is in line for a new deal. PA -
Trent Alexander-Arnold - 7. Unrecognisable in the early part of the campaign, a tweak of position has given the Scouser a new lease of life of late. Will be keen to show this sort of form straight from the off next time around, of course. Reuters -
Calvin Ramsay - 3. Looked very bright in the one start he managed but saw his first year at Anfield utterly wrecked by injuries. Must prove next year that he is capable of backing up Alexander-Arnold. PA -
Joe Gomez - 5. His season was summed up by a six-day spell in October that saw him put in a dominant performance in victory over Manchester City and then follow it up by looking remarkably timid in defeat to Nottingham Forest. With Liverpool looking for a defender this summer, he may have to make a big call over his future. EPA -
Ibrahima Konate - 7. Largely brilliant whenever he played but could not get on the pitch regularly enough. If he can put those fitness issues behind him, the Frenchman will be the main man in Liverpool's defence for years to come. Getty -
Virgil van Dijk - 6. Did not miss a beat last season despite having just returned from a serious knee injury and perhaps that eventually caught up with him this year. Still, while this has been a largely disappointing campaign for the Dutchman, he expects to be back to his best next term. Reuters -
Joel Matip - 4. The defender has struggled to show his best whenever called upon this season. Has been a brilliant servant to the Reds but could be a candidate for a departure this summer if he has designs on playing more regularly. EPA -
Nat Phillips – 5. Did not let anyone down when called upon this term but surely it is time for him to move on and truly kickstart his career. Getty -
Andy Robertson - 6. Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the amount of football he has played in recent years, the Scot has looked drained at times. Also has a lot to prove next season given that he does not look a natural fit for the left-hand side of the defensive shape Liverpool have recently switched to. Getty -
Kostas Tsimikas - 5. One of a number of squad members who came into their own last term as the Reds pushed for success on four different fronts. Hasn't been able to make the same impact this year and, like so many others, might wonder if first-team football elsewhere now looks more appealing. Getty -
Fabinho - 5. Has enjoyed something of a late-season renaissance after a shocking start but still has a long way to go to get back to his old self. Klopp must hope that a summer of rest and a good pre-season is sufficient to bring about a full recovery. Getty -
Thiago Alcantara - 6. Looked like a luxury player during Liverpool's darkest periods and must surely be viewed as exactly that going into next season. If the Reds are able to get him fit and on the pitch then it is a bonus, but their summer signings have to ensure that they are not banking on his availability. PA -
James Milner - 6. Showed that he could have carried on in some sort of squad role at Anfield during a final season in which Klopp continued to lean on his versatility and experience. However, Liverpool are long overdue a midfield rebuild and, putting sentimentality aside, this is probably the right time for a parting of the ways. Reuters -
Naby Keita - 4. The Guinean looked to have finally put his injuries behind him as he played a crucial role in last season's quadruple push, but unfortunately reverted to type this time around. Managed just eight Premier League appearances - the last of which saw him subbed at half-time - in a wretched end to a frustrating Anfield career. Getty -
Jordan Henderson - 5. No longer looks capable of producing his trademark intensity across two games a week but was asked to do so a number of times this season thanks to a lack of viable alternatives. Remains an important figure and has a big role to play next year, but summer additions have to result in his minutes being managed. EPA -
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain - 4. Returned from a pre-season injury in October but never really looked like doing enough to earn a sustained run of games from there. Like Keita, his final year at Anfield has summed up a Liverpool career that did not live up to its promise. PA -
Curtis Jones - 6. Has been a revelation since coming into the team in April but does not score more highly as a result of the injury-enforced absences that preceded that emergence. Has the chance to establish himself as an important player next term even allowing for the additional competition he will face. AFP -
Harvey Elliott - 7. Has shown the sort of inconsistency you would expect from a 20-year-old of whom it could be argued far too much has been asked. His qualities are so obvious, though, and he will take a lot from the experiences of this season. Getty -
Stefan Bajcetic - 7. Another youngster who has provided much-needed hope in a tricky season for supporters. He might need to fill out a little over the summer but the Spaniard could provide a genuine threat to Fabinho in the holding midfield role from August. PA -
Arthur Melo - 2. Earns points for taking on double sessions in a bid to get fit as quickly as possible after arriving as a deadline-day sticking plaster for a midfield issue that should never have been ignored. Still, the fact he managed just 13 minutes of action surely marks him out as the worst signing of the Klopp era. PA -
Fabio Carvalho - 4. Announced himself to supporters with a late, late winner against Newcastle in August but that proved to be the highlight of a difficult first year at the club. Is expected to go out on loan next year and must use that time to prove he has a future at Anfield. Getty -
Diogo Jota - 6. There is no chance this season would have been quite as disastrous for Liverpool had they not lost such a key source of goals to two lengthy injury lay-offs. Getting him on the pitch more often next year is utterly crucial, as he proved in scoring twice on the final day. EPA -
Luis Diaz - 5. Missed the majority of the campaign due to a knee issue and has looked slightly off the pace since returning. Needs a good pre-season in his legs to get back to his best. Getty -
Roberto Firmino - 8. The Brazilian may be slightly past his peak but still managed to register 12 goals and five assists across all competitions to show Liverpool why they are certain to miss him when he departs this summer. A legend. Getty -
Darwin Nunez - 7. Has been unfairly maligned during a debut season that has returned a respectable 15 goals and four assists - figures that would been significantly higher had he and his teammates finished better in the early part of the season. Klopp still has to work out exactly how to fit the Uruguayan into his team, though. EPA -
Cody Gakpo - 8. The biggest compliment you can pay the Dutchman is that his touch and intelligence are reminiscent of Firmino at his best. If he gets anywhere near matching his teammate's impact in the years ahead, then Liverpool are in for another exciting ride. Reuters -
Mohamed Salah - 9. Some would have you believe that the Egyptian has had a poor season, and yet he ends it with a remarkable 30 goals to his name. His apology to fans over Liverpool's failure to qualify for the Champions League was heartfelt but, in truth, it is not him who should shoulder the blame. AFP
