Arne Slot has struggled to get the best out of Florian Wirtz this season after spending more than £100m to sign him for Liverpool.
The Dutch coach reportedly convinced Wirtz to join the Reds last summer after outlining a clear tactical plan for him at the club. But, nine months in, it is still unclear exactly what that plan was.
With Slot coming under increasing pressure for his job, there have been suggestions that sacking the 47-year-old and bringing in Wirtz‘s former manager at Bayer Leverkusen, Xabi Alonso, could be the recipe. According to pundit Jan Age Fjortoft, however, Slot is far from being Wirtz’s biggest problem at Liverpool.
Ok, let’s all agree Slot’s done, who you want to see in the dugout next?
Arne Slot ahead of Galatasaray v Liverpool - UEFA Champions League
Credit: Arife Karakum/Anadolu/Anadolu/Getty Images
Wirtz is a big fan of Alonso’s, and it feels very probable that the Spaniard would at least have a better idea of how to use him in this Liverpool team than Slot currently does.
Nevertheless, speaking on ESPN FC, former Norway international Fjortoft says he believes that Wirtz is still struggling in his adaptation to leaving Germany rather than anything to do with who the Liverpool head coach is.
“It’s a good point with Xabi Alonso, because the two of them were father and son at Leverkusen, they had so much success there,” the pundit admitted. “[But] I don’t think Slot is the main problem, I think there are a lot of things going into that.”
READ MORE: Xabi Alonso’s availability has intensified pressure on Arne Slot, says Jamie Carragher
Arne Slot, Manager of Liverpool, talks with Florian Wirtz during the Premier League match between Leeds United and Liverpool at Elland Road
Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images
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“We underestimate more or less coming from your mum and dad’s house to Liverpool, big price-tag, we always say these are machines but they are fragile human beings, going to a new country doing his stuff.
“Could a new coach make him better? I’m not sure that is the main problem to be honest.
“In terms of Xabi Alonso, of course if you get a guy who he had so much success with, of course that would be good for him, but I don’t think Arne Slot is Florian Wirtz’s problem.”
Wirtz had appeared to be finally getting to grips with life with Liverpool recently, but an ineffectual performance in the Champions League at Galatasaray on Tuesday has seen the doubts start to creep in once again. While Alonso remains available, the temptation to link him and Wirtz back together will continue to be strong, but it may not be the magic remedy some are expecting after all.
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