Florian Wirtz will be hoping for a change in fortunes at Liverpool next season, but the German international has been urged to reunite with Xabi Alonso at Chelsea instead
06:00, 16 Jul 2026
BOSTON, UNITED STATES - JUNE 29: Florian Wirtz of Germany disappointed during the World Cup match between Germany v Paraguay at the Boston Stadium on June 29, 2026 in Boston United States (Photo by Marcel Bonte/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Florian Wirtz has been told he needs to leave Liverpool this summer(Image: Getty Images)
Florian Wirtz has been told he should leave Liverpool this summer by one of the Reds’ former players and reunite with Xabi Alonso at Chelsea.
Wirtz’s first year at Anfield, following what was a record-breaking transfer from Bayer Leverkusen, didn’t quite go to plan. The 23-year-old struggled for form as he scored seven goals and recorded nine assists in 49 games across all competitions.
The summer hasn’t afforded him much of a reprieve either, with Germany being knocked out of the World Cup early by Paraguay. Wirtz and his teammates have been criticized for their performances during the tournament as Julian Nagelsmann resigned as manager, with Jurgen Klopp set to take over.
Wirtz will be hoping the changes made at both international and club level - with Andoni Iraola replacing Arne Slot as Liverpool’s head coach - will see his fortunes change. Fernando Morientes though feels he needs a complete change.
There have been some unfounded rumors linking Wirtz with Chelsea this summer, with the Blues having appointed Alonso as their new boss. The former Liverpool midfielder of course worked with Wirtz during their time together at Bayer Leverkusen and helped develop him into one of the most exciting talents in Europe.
Having gone through his own struggles after moving to Liverpool as a player back in 2005, Morientes believes Wirtz should make the switch to Stamford Bridge to link back up with Alonso.
Xabi Alonso and Florian Wirtz
Florian Wirtz has been urged to reunite with Xabi Alonso at Chelsea(Image: Jörg Schüler/Getty Images)
“Would Florian Wirtz consider a reunion with Xabi Alonso at Chelsea? He hasn't found his level in his first season, and I think what he needs is a change of scenery to get back to his best,” Morientes told Reviant.
“I'll put this in the context of something similar that happened to me. I'd played for [Real] Madrid, done well, gone to Monaco, done well, and yet when I went to Liverpool I never found my best version.
“I quickly realized that maybe that wasn't the right place for me. I needed to find my best version, and I needed the team and the coach around me to suit my style too.
“I decided pretty quickly that I had to go and play for Valencia, because I felt that environment suited my characteristics better. And I wasn't wrong: I went to Valencia, started scoring again, felt comfortable, and even made it back into the national team.
“I think he [Wirtz] himself probably realizes he's not quite in the right context, and Xabi Alonso's interest is very interesting for that reason. Why? Because Alonso got performances out of him before, he understands him, he can build a team designed around him too.”
Morientes added: “In these kinds of situations, players move around a fair bit, and these aren't easy decisions to make, because when you join a club, what you want is to perform.
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“On top of that, this player cost a lot of money. What could Liverpool ask for him? They'll say at least what he cost, but I don't think anyone's going to pay that.
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“If he'd shown he was at that level, sure, but with a bit less, maybe 25, 30, even 35 percent less, I could see them asking for that, because he's a great player. But I don't know if Chelsea would be willing to pay that much.
“When a player isn't performing, his value obviously drops, and the offers that come in are a bit lower. So it depends on Liverpool: whether they want to try to get performances out of him, which maybe they won't manage, or let him go and let the lad be happy somewhere else.”