Florian Wirtz’s big-money move to Liverpool still isn’t going to plan, and now Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich are reportedly eyeing a move for him.
The German’s arrival last summer was met with huge excitement, with Liverpool’s £116m man seen as one of the most exciting young players in world football.
Wirtz hasn’t managed to get going in a Reds shirt to date, however, despite moments of class, with Gary Neville expecting far more from both the 23-year-old and Alexander Isak:
“They’re going to have to start playing sooner or later or else, to be fair, they’re going to get quite a lot of criticism. For a start, they’re too nice, and if you’re going to be nice, you’d better be incredible at football. I don’t see the tenacity in Wirtz in particular. I just see a nice player moving around the pitch, not really ever looking like he’s busting a gut to do anything.”
Now, TEAMtalk report that Bayern are “keeping close tabs” on Wirtz’s situation at Liverpool, having been linked with him before the attacker chose the Reds instead.
Their interest in him “has not wavered” since then, and it now looks as though they could try to persuade him to make a return to the Bundesliga soon.
Will Florian Wirtz make the grade at Liverpool?
Wirtz is clearly an extremely talented footballer, and the ease at which he plays the game can actually work against him, producing touches and passes that others can’t, without it ever looking spectacular.
But there is still no denying that far more is required from him moving forward, in terms of character, consistency and physicality, all of which are lacking too often.
It would be an enormous shame to see Wirtz move to Bayern so soon, but hopefully, we see the best of him once the midfield and attacking units are more balanced.
This is a player who Steven Gerrard has described as “world-class”, which is huge praise, but Andoni Iraola needs to see the player who won back-to-back Bundesliga Player of the Year awards at Bayer Leverkusen.