There are still question marks over Liverpool attacking midfielder Florian Wirtz and where his best position is after the club's 0-0 draw with Leeds United in the Premier League on Thursday.
The £116m summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, which was a club-record deal before the £125m move for Alexander Isak, has failed to deliver consistent quality at the top end of the pitch since his move to Anfield.
Wirtz has registered one goal and one assist in 18 appearances in the Premier League, per Sofascore, so far this season, scoring against Wolves and assisting Isak against Spurs.
The position that Florian Wirtz should play for Liverpool
Per Transfermarkt, 21 of his 23 starts in all competitions for the Reds this season have been as an attacking midfielder, with 15 starts, or on the left wing, with seven starts.
Florian-Wirtz
Back in November, though, it looked as if he could be the new Thiago Alcantara, after his impressive passing display against West Ham, completing 93% of his attempted passes in that match.
Wirtz's statistics in the Premier League so far this season back up the theory that he would be more suited to playing in a deep-lying midfield role, like the one Thiago played in, because he has been unable to make an impact as an attacker.
25/26 PL Wirtz per 90 Rank vs AMs & wingers
Non-penalty goals 0.07 Bottom 21%
Assists 0.07 Bottom 21%
Passes attempted 55.89 Top 4%
Pass accuracy 81.9% Top 11%
Progressive passes 6.75 Top 2%
Key passes 2.32 Top 5%
Passes into final third 3.56 Top 8%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, the Germany international is an exceptional passer who has the potential to be a midfield metronome who can consistently progress play from deep for the Reds.
This is why Arne Slot should try to use him in a central midfield position, alongside a player like Ryan Gravenberch, to see if he can be more impactful further back in the pitch.
Florian Wirtz scores for Liverpool
He has not been good enough as an attacker, as shown by his rank for goals and assists, and that is why Liverpool should sign one of their reported targets to be an upgrade on him as an attacking midfielder.
The Wirtz upgrade Liverpool should sign in January
The Reds need more quality in the forward areas, as evidenced by their blunt performance against Leeds, and they have been linked with a star who could provide them with what they need.
It was recently reported that Liverpool have placed Juventus attacker Kenan Yildiz at the top of their long-term transfer wishlist, but they should accelerate those plans to bring him to Anfield this month.
The Turkey international, who is reportedly valued at up to £87m by the Old Lady, typically plays as a number ten or on the left wing for Juventus, which means that he could come in to play the roles that Wirtz has so far for Liverpool.
Juventus' Kenan Yildiz celebrates
However, Yildiz may have a greater chance of carrying his form from his current club over to Anfield because he has the physical qualities that suggest that he could cope with the intensity of the Premier League.
Per Sofascore, Wirtz has lost 86% of his aerial duels in the Premier League and 100% of his aerial duels in the Champions League, which backs up the eye test, as he has looked a bit too lightweight at times since his move to Liverpool.
25/26 Champions League Wirtz Yildiz
Appearances 5 6
xG 0.45 0.88
Goals 0 1
Assists 2 3
Successful dribbles per game 1.4 2.7
Ground duel success rate 44% 40%
Aerial duel success rate 50% 0%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Yildiz has produced more quality at the top end of the pitch whilst also faring far better in his physical duels, particularly in the air, in Europe this season.
Meanwhile, the 20-year-old magician, who was described as a "certified baller" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has also scored six goals and provided four assists in 16 Serie A outings, per Sofascore, winning 44% of his aerial duels in those games.
The Juventus superstar has natural physicality that allows him to get the better of quick and strong defenders to consistently deliver moments of quality in and around the box, which Wirtz either does not have or has not been able to show enough in a Liverpool shirt.
Therefore, signing Yildiz, who also produced 12 goals and seven assists in all competitions last term (Sofascore), could improve Slot's attack by providing the team with an attacking midfielder or left winger who can deal with the physicality of the Premier League whilst also scoring and creating goals.
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This would then allow Wirtz to be trialled further back on the pitch to see if playing as a deep-lying midfielder would get the best out of his passing ability.