Florian Wirtz has started all five of Liverpool’s Premier League games this season and has one assist, but no goals. He has made six appearances in all competitions.
Liverpool signed Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025 for a club and British record fee. The deal was worth £100 million plus £16 million in add-ons.
In his first season he scored seven goals and added eight assists in 49 games. His first league goal did not come until late December.
Liverpool finished fifth and secured Champions League qualification on the final day of the season. Andoni Iraola replaced Arne Slot as head coach in June.
Jamie Carragher said on the first Monday Night Football of the campaign that Liverpool’s 2025 window, which included Wirtz, could be remembered as the worst in Premier League history.
He added that he does not think Wirtz is simply out of form, but that this is the real player.
Iraola has backed his midfielder. After the draw at Newcastle, he said he trusts Wirtz a lot.
Against that background, Oliver Bierhoff has suggested a different future for the 23-year-old. Wirtz has been linked with a move to Barcelona, this time from Germany, according to Sport.
Bierhoff told Sport Bild: “I would see him as a very good fit with Hansi Flick at Barcelona. There he would find the space and brilliant team-mates in footballing terms.”
Bierhoff said he also sees Wirtz succeeding at other clubs and in other countries. Barcelona was one example he gave.
He called Wirtz “an absolute world-class player who now has to prove that again.”
Bierhoff held various executive roles with the Germany national team from 2004 to 2022. Wirtz played for Germany under Flick. Flick took over at Barcelona in the summer of 2024.
Barcelona are said to have courted Wirtz a few years ago, but they were not among the frontrunners before his 2025 move. Real Madrid, Manchester City and Bayern Munich were also interested.
Florian Wirtz is under a long-term contract at Liverpool. There are no reports of talks with Barcelona or of concrete transfer plans. Goal describes Bierhoff’s comments as pure speculation.
Wirtz has played well for Germany recently. He scored in a 2-0 Nations League win over Serbia on October 1. Germany then drew 0-0 away to Greece on October 4.
Liverpool are unbeaten in seven games across all competitions this season. They host Manchester City at Anfield on Sunday, October 11.
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