Why is Florian Wirtz not playing for Liverpool against Preston? Everything we know

The Liverpool team bus arrives before the pre-season friendly football match between Preston North End and Liverpool at Deepdale stadium in Preston, north-west England on July 13, 2025

Giorgi Mamardashvili is set to make his Liverpool debut in the opening pre-season friendly against Preston North End today. The match at Deepdale will be the Reds' first since the tragic passing of Diogo Jota last week, with Mamardashvili being the only one of six summer signings to start.

Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, along with goalkeepers Freddie Woodman and Armin Pesci, are among the new arrivals who will start from the bench.

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Club record signing Florian Wirtz, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen for a whopping £116million, is not included in the squad. Other notable absentees include captain Virgil van Dijk, defender Ibrahima Konate, midfielder Alexis Mac Allister and winger Luis Diaz.

Several senior players who are not involved in today's match have been participating in individual training sessions back at Kirkby.

Given the disruption to Liverpool's pre-season preparations, the club is taking no chances with player fitness.

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