Arne Slot has been tipped to see new version of Florian Wirtz as a $325 million (£241 million) plan comes together for Liverpool next season, when Mohamed Salah will have left
19:31, 29 Apr 2026
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot during a press conference.
Liverpool head coach Arne Slot during a press conference.(Image: Antonio Borga/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Liverpool will see a different Florian Wirtz next season now that the German is acclimatized to life in the Premier League. That is the view of one former Reds star.
Wirtz has seven goals and 10 assists in all competitions this season, but Liverpool as a team has fallen short of initial expectations. Next year, the former Bayer Leverkusen ace should also be able to play with Alexander Isak much more often, which was the plan when the Reds splashed around $325 million (£241 million) on the pair last summer.
"It's a different league," Markus Babbel told Get German Football News. "I had the same problem when I came to England. It’s a different sport. It’s faster. It’s harder.
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"There are so many top players there, and it doesn’t matter if you’re Florian Wirtz; [other players] will have no respect for you.
"They’re kicking you. They’re trying to do everything they can to stop him from bringing his skills onto the pitch.
"Of course, it took a while. I would say it took until December or the beginning of January, but then he started to perform. And it’s been a bit unlucky for him because at Liverpool, the whole team is struggling.
Florian Wirtz of Liverpool celebrates scoring the third goal to make the score 3-1 against Crystal Palace
Florian Wirtz of Liverpool celebrates scoring the third goal to make the score 3-1 against Crystal Palace(Image: Photo by Paul Greenwood/Shutterstock)
"I think in the statistics, he’s high in the standings for chances created, but because the team is underperforming and he’s one of the most expensive signings behind Isak, there’s an expectation that he’ll score 15 goals and get 30 assists.
"This is the mindset of the supporters, but it’s not so easy for him. I still believe that Liverpool will have a lot of fun with him because he is a fantastic player. The first season is, of course, not the best.
"He can play better, but there’s been a big improvement from him, and he’s learned a lot. Next season, you’ll see a top-class Florian Wirtz."
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Liverpool.com says: Wirtz has done fairly well in his debut season. Only two players — Bruno Fernandes and Declan Rice — have created more chances than he has in the Premier League.
There is much more to come, though. Isak and Hugo Ekitike form the post-Mohamed Salah plan alongside him, and Liverpool is yet to see much of them all together.
That will have to wait because of Ekitike's injury, but it is exciting nonetheless. In time, that plan should come together nicely.