Many assumed that Florian Wirtz would arrive on Merseyside and set the Premier League alight with his undeniable talent – but the German, signed on a deal worth £116 million, is yet to find his feet in England. And in the wake of his substandard start, ex-Liverpool star Dietmar Hamann has warned those associated with the Reds that he could end up being compared to a Manchester United flop.
For a player worth such a huge sum of money, an instant impact in the final third is, understandably, expected. That said, noise is beginning to grow over the former Bayer Leverkusen talisman by virtue of the fact that he's not hit the ground running in the way that many of an Anfield persuasion expected.
Wirtz, a 22-year-old from Pulheim, a town in the North Rhine-Westphalia region, has notched three assists – once in the Community Shield against Crystal Palace and twice in the Champions League in their 5-1 romp over Eintracht Frankfurt – but he is yet to contribute in the Premier League. But are things beginning to look up for the midfielder?
Didi Hamann Believes Wirtz Could Turn Out Like Man Utd Flop
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Struggling to fit into Arne Slot's reigning champions, Wirtz was dropped to the bench for Liverpool's 2-1 defeat to Manchester United on Sunday – but the FC Koln academy graduate was recalled as he and his teammates visited his homeland. And, against Frankfurt, he showed glimpses of his brilliance and exactly why he cost so much.
His perfectly-placed pass for Cody Gakpo's first and Liverpool's fourth of the affair was the greater of his two assists given that he simply passed it to Dominik Szoboszlai, who smashed home to make it 5-1 on Wednesday evening.
Watch the highlights and Wirtz's two assists from Liverpool 5-1 Frankfurt below:
It's fair to say that he's been poor value for money thus far and, as a result, the Germany international has come under fire in recent weeks. And Hamann pulled no punches in his assessment of his compatriot by suggesting there is no certainty that Wirtz springs to life. "Well, there's no guarantee," he said while talking to talkSPORT.
Hamann then compared his move to Liverpool to Juan Sebastian Veron's transfer to Manchester United in 2001 when he joined from Italian outfit Lazio by suggesting that he, too, came to England's top flight as a highly-rated midfielder. Things didn't pan out for the Argentine and he moved on within two years of service.
"I always say [Juan Sebastian] Veron came to the Premier League, I think 20 odd years ago, and he lasted one season. He came as the best midfielder, so there's no guarantee things are going to work out, but I just think he's too good to fail because he's such a good player.
"What he's done at Leverkusen, he carried the team to the league, to the cup. Obviously, a lot of weight on his shoulders with a big transfer fee. Hopefully, yesterday was a turning point. The only thing I would say is the games in the Champions League are not as frantic and quick and physical as it is in the Premier League," Hamann continued.
Stepping up to the plate in the Premier League is exactly what Liverpool would've expected from such a lofty addition – and Hamann believes that'll be the next step for the one-time Bundesliga winner. He said, "He's got to show that form in the Premier League as well. He hasn't done it so far, but he showed glimpses.
Wirtz's 25/26 Premier League Stats vs Liverpool Squad
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"As Al [Alan Brazil] said, it's a tough game on Saturday, because Brentford, I watched him on Monday night against a poor West Ham, they've been very impressive," Hamann, who won the Champions League with the Reds against AC Milan after that final against AC Milan, claimed before adding, "So hopefully he can carry on on Saturday."
The obvious caveat is that Wirtz is just 12 games into what could turn out to be a very long and fruitful spell on the red half of Merseyside. The frustration from within is based on his lack of influence from a player that cost north of £100 million. If he can strike up a relationship with Alexander Isak and Co, he'll soon prove the critics wrong.
All statistics per WhoScored – correct as of 23/10/2025