Florian Wirtz has been backed by both Jurgen Klopp and Andoni Iraola after a tough first year at Liverpool, but there is one issue that will continue to follow him
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 12: Florian Wirtz of Liverpool during the Premier League 2026/27 match between Liverpool FC and Fulham at Anfield on September 12, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images)
Florian Wirtz is still a big talking point at Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)
Whatever you think right now of Florian Wirtz as a player, what can’t be denied is that his move to Liverpool hasn’t gone to plan thus far.
Having become the club’s record signing last summer - two players now stand ahead of him on that front - big things were expected of a player who had been instrumental in Bayer Leverkusen’s unbeaten domestic double in 2024, and had courted the attention of Manchester City and Bayern Munich.
An underwhelming first year at Anfield could be explained with mitigating factors. It was his first taste of the Premier League, he was still young, and it’s not like many of his teammates completely outshone him in what was a dismal campaign for the Reds all round.
This season, all eyes are on Wirtz, and they’re expecting him to kick on. Last season’s tally of seven goals and nine assists will not cut the mustard this time for a lot of supporters, so seeing him rack up just one assist from his first five games is leaving some a little concerned.
But should there be so much conjecture over him? Well, his two new managers don’t think so.
Both Jurgen Klopp and Andoni Iraola have jumped to Wirtz’s defense this week, and insisted that he shouldn’t be held to a higher standard than his teammates.
Germany's National coach Juergen Klopp addresses a press conference to announce his squad, on September 17, 2026 at the headquarters of DFB (German Football Federation) in Frankfurt, western Germany, ahead of the Nations league football matches. (Photo by Hannes P. Albert / AFP via Getty Images)
Jurgen Klopp has jumped to Florian Wirtz's defense after recent criticism(Image: Getty Images)
"We have to move away from the idea that we need to see special moments from him,” Klopp said after selecting Wirtz in his first squad as Germany manager.
“He is there to help us as a team. We have to make sure that Flo feels comfortable with us.
"When the team works, then every player shines as a consequence. You have to be satisfied with a game in which Flo Wirtz gave everything but didn't have a goal or assist.
"We simply have to give the boy the feeling: 'That was more than good enough today. You helped us as a team. We won 1-0 or 2-0'.”
Content Image
Content Image
Klopp’s viewpoint was backed up by Iraola on Friday, with the current Liverpool boss insisting: “He should be judged like everyone else,”
“If he plays well, if he doesn’t play well, I always say ‘how does the team play when you are on the pitch?’.
“And I’m very happy with Florian. I rate him very highly. He understands what we need from him, he’s trying to help in every aspect of the game.”
Liverpool's Spanish head coach Andoni Iraola applauds the fans following during the UEFA Champions League football match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid
Andoni Iraola has insisted he is happy with Florian Wirtz(Image: (Photo by Paul ELLIS / AFP via Getty Images))
Klopp and Iraola might be happy with Wirtz, but there is one thing hindering the 23-year-old from ever being able to escape – his price tag.
When a club is willing to spend around $155 million on a player, they’re not doing it because they want to just add another body similar to what they already have. For that kind of fee, you expect a player to make a big impact.
Liverpool now has three of the six most expensive Premier League signings of all time in its squad. Two of those three, Wirtz and Alexander Isak, were signed at a time when the club was aiming to assert its dominance after winning the title.
It’s certainly not Wirtz’s fault that Liverpool paid such a huge amount of money for him, and perhaps, as Jamie Carragher has previously suggested, he just isn’t the sort of player that sort of fee usually demands.
Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz of Liverpool during a pre-season friendly match against Como
Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz were signed for big money last summer(Image: Photo by Simon Stacpoole/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
"The thing I struggle with Wirtz with is that I don't think we are seeing a massive underperformance,” Carragher said last month.
"I think what we have seen for a year is probably what he is. He is a neat and tidy footballer, but not someone who should be worth £110M.
"He should be £50M-£60M, something like that. Neat, tidy, lovely touch. I'm not sure what people are expecting."
Perhaps expectations are high, but they’re high for a reason. Wirtz can’t change how much Liverpool paid for him, but he at least needs to repay the faith shown in him by Klopp and Iraola now, and hope that will be enough to silence his doubters.