Liverpool use unique methods to help new signings feel at home | OneFootball

How Liverpool Help New Signings Settle In: Structure, Culture and Care

Player welfare at the core of Liverpool’s recruitment model

Liverpool’s approach to onboarding new players stretches well beyond the pitch. It is deliberate, personal and embedded in the culture of the club. With a near-£300 million summer spend and a fresh influx of talent including Florian Wirtz, Hugo Ekitike, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, the club’s player care department is operating at full capacity.

It’s a system built to ensure that new arrivals don’t just perform, but belong. That has always mattered at Liverpool, but this summer, in particular, has tested the club’s unity. The tragic passing of Diogo Jota left a vacuum not just in the squad but in the dressing room. Rebuilding a sense of togetherness after such a loss has been a deeply human task.

At the centre of that work is Jane Griffiths, who leads the three-person player care team based at the Kirkby training base. She has long been a key figure in helping players adjust to the often-overwhelming realities of Premier League life.

More than relocation: history, identity and understanding

For Liverpool, onboarding includes lessons in identity. New signings are given detailed briefings about the club’s history and the emotional heartbeat of the city. This includes education on the Hillsborough disaster and the legacy it created, which is often delivered informally by long-serving staff. It’s part of immersing players in what it means to wear the red shirt.

Not every player needs the same level of guidance. For instance, Frimpong, who moved to Manchester aged seven, knows the area well and has personal connections already in the dressing room. He will live close to family and friends, with a support team that includes a private chef.

Photo: IMAGO

Others require more. Wirtz and Ekitike, both experiencing English football for the first time, have leaned on the player care team for assistance with everything from accommodation to visa logistics. The club’s background checks on Wirtz pointed to a strong mentality, but support is still vital in easing the pressure that accompanies an eye-watering £116 million transfer fee.

Small details, big impact

Slot’s arrival last year set the tone. The Dutchman moved into a flat while his children remained in the Netherlands for school. As he juggled tactical planning and house hunting, takeaway meals from AXA kitchen staff became his norm. That experience is now shaping how the club helps others.

Photo IMAGO

The model is holistic. From securing healthcare for a player’s partner to setting up utility bills, no detail is too small. As one agent told The Athletic, “They do everything for the players and they keep us informed when we need it. It’s very smooth.”

For Woodman and Kerkez, both already familiar with life in England, the transition has been easier. Kerkez, especially, has a close bond with Dominik Szoboszlai and felt reassured by Richard Hughes, who previously tried to sign him for Bournemouth.

Giorgi Mamardashvili, who arrives with a young family, began studying English and Liverpool’s history well in advance of his move. Meanwhile, 20-year-old Armin Pecsi has been integrated gradually, travelling with the squad to Hong Kong and Japan while preparing for a potential loan spell.

Photo IMAGO

Culture built on leadership and shared space

The support extends far beyond the care team. Captain Virgil van Dijk plays a pivotal role in welcoming new arrivals, whether it be at Kirkby or on tour. Conversations flow at the coffee bar, on the table-tennis table or during downtime between training sessions.

Photo: IMAGO

Andy Robertson, part of the leadership group, explained how senior players help behind the scenes. “We take great pride in that, helping them settle in, finding houses, even just getting them settled with their family, because we know that’s so important.”

This is not performative. At Liverpool, no player sits alone. Whether it’s Salah greeting staff at the coffee machine or academy players being welcomed with handshakes and fist bumps, there is a deliberate openness to the culture.

And that welcome is noticed. As Gera Ponce, wife of departing winger Luis Diaz, wrote on social media, “From the first day we arrived, we felt first hand what it means to be a part of this club.”

Our View – Anfield Index Analysis

Supporters have always demanded that those who wear the Liverpool shirt understand what it stands for. This report from The Athletic only reinforces that those expectations are being met.

The idea of educating new signings on Hillsborough and club history is not about optics. It is about respect. When players walk through the doors at Kirkby or step out at Anfield, they should feel the weight and pride of what they’re part of.

From a fan’s perspective, it’s heartening to know that the club isn’t just throwing money at talent, but also investing in people. Wirtz and Ekitike aren’t just assets, they’re young men adapting to a new culture. That Liverpool are helping them through that process only raises the chances of them thriving on the pitch.

The little things matter, whether it’s a cooked meal from AXA, a warm welcome from Van Dijk or the comforting presence of familiar staff. That’s how teams bond. That’s how squads become families.