Florian Wirtz will be hoping for much more this season at Liverpool, but Jamie Carragher believes his limited impact so far is a bad sign for the Premier League as a whole
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has offered his opinion
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has offered his opinion(Image: Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has questioned whether Florian Wirtz has the physical stature to thrive in the Premier League after arriving from Bayer Leverkusen.
Wirtz, who could cost up to $157 million (£116 million) including add-ons, scored seven times and assisted another 10 goals during his debut campaign at Anfield, but the Liverpool ace will be looking for much more in his second season.
Speaking during the summer preseason, the German was reluctant to specify any targets for goals and assists this time around, but said he feels more comfortable now having had a full year to acclimate to the English game.
Nonetheless, Carragher remains worried that the 23-year-old may be better suited to other top leagues in Europe, which are more about skill than brawn, a concern that feeds into a wider issue for the best Premier League sides.
The likes of Lamine Yamal and Michael Olise have been able to shine in Spain and Germany respectively, while Vinicius Jr wanted to stay at Real Madrid rather than join Arsenal. Luis Diaz looked like a much better forward at Bayern Munich last season than he had at Liverpool, with the Bundesliga being much less physically demanding.
"The jury is out on whether (Wirtz) possesses the tools to overcome the physical challenge, and I must admit, I have my doubts," Carragher wrote in his Daily Telegraph column.
Florian Wirtz celebrates after scoring for Liverpool against Monaco
Florian Wirtz celebrates after scoring for Liverpool against Monaco(Image: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)
"When he joined Liverpool, the hope at Anfield was that Wirtz would dominate in the same manner as Kevin De Bruyne did. But the German does not have the athleticism or running and shooting power of De Bruyne.
"Even at his best, Wirtz has looked ‘neat and tidy’ rather than the killer in and around the penalty box one would have expected given his fee and reputation. He has resembled a useful squad addition for about £40M rather than a game-changer who cost £115M."
Iraola has already made clear that he views Wirtz as a number 10, rather than a wide forward. But that leaves wider questions about the Liverpool midfield. Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai look set to line up as a midfield two at Newcastle this weekend, with Wirtz in front of them. That, though, could leave plenty of gaps to exploit on the counter-attack.
"After the opening game against Iraola’s Bournemouth a year ago, I expressed my concern that using Wirtz in a three-man midfield left the defense too exposed, and every Liverpool match in those early weeks resembled basketball," Carragher continued.
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"Arne Slot eventually conceded Alexis Mac Allister or Dominik Szoboszlai had to play as the most forward high-pressing midfielder to redress the balance, with Wirtz increasingly moving to the left.
"Liverpool won the Premier League title in 2025 with Szoboszlai in that position. The Hungarian’s athleticism so fundamental to the team’s success, so it is easy to understand why he was rewarded with a new contract.
"During pre-season, Iraola has restored Wirtz as the No.10 and there have been encouraging signs of a relationship with Alexander Isak. The defensive issues, however, remain unresolved."
Liverpool.com says: Carragher is right that there are questions, but Wirtz is an elite player. As he says, it would not reflect well on the Premier League's direction of travel if players like him can't thrive. Technically, he is brilliant — and there is much more potential to be unlocked in the coming months — but Iraola needs to get the balance right, and quickly.