Liverpool summer signing Florian Wirtz has endured a challenging start to life in the Premier League but plenty of people have come to his defence
Florian Wirtz in action for Liverpool during the Champions League match against Real Madrid
Florian Wirtz is yet to make his mark at Liverpool(Image: Photo by Harry Langer/DeFodi Images/DeFodi via Getty Images)
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Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes has come to Florian Wirtz’s defence after a tricky start to life at Liverpool following his big-money move in the summer transfer window.
The Reds obliterated their transfer record to land the Germany international in a deal worth up to a reported £116 million. They did so again on deadline day by signing striker Alexander Isak from Newcastle United for a staggering British-record £125 million, but both signings are yet to truly hit the ground running at Anfield.
Wirtz, 22, was a star at Leverkusen under former manager Xabi Alonso. During his time there, he scored 57 goals and registered 65 assists across all competitions, but that has not yet translated into his Liverpool form.
He has three assists to his name so far - one in the Community Shield defeat to Crystal Palace at the start of the campaign and two in a Champions League win over Eintracht Frankfurt last month.
The playmaker has also been in and out of head coach Arne Slot’s starting line-ups this term, with the Dutchman still searching for his best position in this new-look Liverpool side. The Reds have struggled for consistency this season, and that was compounded by a 3-0 defeat away at Manchester City before the international break - just days after beating Real Madrid 1-0 in Europe.
Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann was among the first to defend Wirtz at the start of the break, insisting that Liverpool’s players need to start finishing the chances he creates. It’s a fair point, given that his assist tally would look far healthier were it not for the wasteful finishing that has plagued the Reds so far this term.
Now, Leverkusen director Rolfes has shared his thoughts on Wirtz’s start to life in England, admitting that Liverpool’s lack of cohesion as a team is a major factor in the attacking midfielder’s slow start. “For all his individual class, Flo is above all one thing: a total team player,” Rolfes told German outlet Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger.
Liverpool's Florian Wirtz in action for Germany
Liverpool's Florian Wirtz started Germany's World Cup qualifying win over Luxembourg this week
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“Flo thrives on combination play, but at the moment Liverpool hasn’t quite gelled as a team yet. That makes things more difficult for Flo.”
Wirtz’s international teammate Nick Woltemade, who also made the move to the Premier League this summer to join Newcastle, echoed similar sentiments when asked about the criticism Wirtz has faced for his early struggles. “For every player, adjusting isn’t easy. But he’s doing very well,” Woltemade told RTL/n-tv/sport.de.
“On paper, you might not see the goals, but if you compare my games with his, he’s much more involved in play. I’ve probably been in the right spot three or four times, received the ball and scored — but he’s very active in the game, gets lots of touches and makes good plays.”
It comes after Gary Neville claimed Wirtz 'looked like a little boy' in Liverpool's defeat to City. The former Manchester United defender said: "I thought Wirtz in particular - it was a really bad day for him.
"We've been tip-toeing around him haven't we, for a few months, around the fact that he's young, coming to a new country. But he's £120million, you're going to have to stand up soon.
"I mean he's obviously got something. He's a really good player and technically fantastic, but he's been mauled out there today by [Matheus] Nunes and by others. He's been chucked around the pitch and didn't deliver in the quality side of things either. His performance was a real worry.
"Wirtz is a problem, let's call it what it is. It's an issue. He's £120m and he looked like a little boy out there."