Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz has cemented his status among the world’s most elite playmakers this season, racking up 66 chances created from open play.
Wirtz’s tally is surpassed by only Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, and Michael Olise across Europe’s top five leagues.
This comes despite the fact that the German had a slow start to his Liverpool career, which saw him deprived of both goals and assists.
Wirtz received a lot of criticism in the opening stages of the campaign, but Xabi Alonso knew he’d be a success at Anfield.
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Curtis Jones in action during Liverpool's UEFA Champions League match against PSV Eindhoven at Anfield.
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Florian Wirtz is more than just a playmaker for Liverpool
While Wirtz’s goals and assists have been key to a slight upturn in results, he’s helping out in another way.
The Sunderland win, in which Virgil van Dijk was the only goalscorer, was another example of this.
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Wirtz’s defensive work was praised by former Red Danny Murphy, who said: “He’s brave, and of course, the more he plays and the more he’s loved by the fans, the more confident he gets.
“But this as well, the defensive work, winning the ball back, having the physicality to be able to, when you play as a 10, to get back and help the midfield lads, and there wasn’t too many of Liverpool’s good moves tonight that he wasn’t involved in.”
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Florian Wirtz during Liverpool v Leeds United - Premier League
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Florian Wirtz compared to Luka Modric
On the back of his upturn in form, Wirtz became a topic of conversation on The Overlap this week.
Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane has now suggested we will see the best of the German next term, making comparisons to Luka Modric’s first season at Tottenham Hotspur.
He said: “I still think it’ll take him a full season to get up to speed.
“I think next year… remember when [Luka] Modric and all these boys took their time at Spurs to get used to the physicality, and he ended up playing in a two. I could not see how he (Modric) was going to become a top player.”
Modric ended his debut campaign in England with five goals and 10 assists. Wirtz has scored six and assisted eight for Liverpool so far.
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