Liverpool hit the headlines with a £116m move for Florian Wirtz back in June.
It saw the Reds take one of the most creative players out of the Bundesliga, with the Germany international recording 57 goals and 65 assists in 197 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen.
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Despite that, the Liverpool No.7 has endured a slow start at Anfield, with just one assist to show for his efforts in nine games so far.
However – across Merseyside – Jack Grealish has been receiving plenty of praise while on loan from Manchester City at Everton, but the numbers suggest Florian Wirtz deserves the same compliments.
Florian Wirtz has been just as creative as Jack Grealish
In all competitions so far this season, the German has created 21 goalscoring opportunities for his Liverpool teammates.
Of every player in the Premier League, only Grealish – who Erling Haaland adores – can match that output, but can boast four assists compared to just one from Wirtz.
21 – Most chances created for Premier League clubs in all competitions this season:
21 – Florian Wirtz
21 – Jack Grealish
18 – Bryan Mbeumo
17 – Bruno Fernandes
16 – 5 players
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It suggests Liverpool are not exactly helping the £116m man stand out by finishing off his chances, whereas Everton have been more efficient with the opportunities created by the Manchester City loanee.
Naturally – however – nobody is talking about this angle, with the majority of rival fans keen to mock Wirtz given the size of his price tag.
Arne Slot has already explained why Florian Wirtz needs time to shine at Liverpool
Football is a demanding industry, where neither players nor managers are given much time to showcase their talents.
However, while rival fans point the finger at Wirtz – who Nick Woltemade has lauded – Arne Slot is at least aware of the fact his £116m signing needs patience considering the circumstances.
After the 3-2 UEFA Champions League win over Atletico Madrid in September, the Dutchman said: “I can see with him also that he is getting fitter and fitter and adjusting more and more to us, which is normal.
“You need a bit of time to adjust. We all know how much quality he has but sometimes people forget that he is a 22-year-old that goes, for the first time, abroad. Your whole life is changing. All the things that are normal to you are not normal anymore because everything is different, and that sometimes costs energy as well.
“Combine that with going to a new club and a new playing style, because (Bayer) Leverkusen played 3-4-3 and we play 4-3-3 and so we ask a bit more from him off the ball, and defensively as well. But, I can see him growing more and more, and I think that is what you can expect from a quality player, who always adjusts to what he needs. He and the team will get better and better.”
There is a reason Liverpool’s superb recruitment team spent so heavily on Wirtz, and we feel it is only a matter of time until English football sees what he can do.