Florina Wirtz has enjoyed a fruitful stint with the German national team under Jurgen Klopp and one ex-Liverpool star believes that could help him back at Anfield
Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp is now managing his native Germany
Liverpool legend Jurgen Klopp is now managing his native Germany(Image: Getty Images)
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Working with Jurgen Klopp could hold the key to getting the best out of Florian Wirtz at Liverpool - even though the legendary German manager is no longer in the dugout at Anfield. That's according to former Reds striker Stan Collymore, who has seen a spring in the step of the £116m signing while on international duty with his national team.
Wirtz, 23, only made a moderate impact in his first season in the Premier League and has come in for criticism from some quarters for his performances during the early stages of the new campaign under Andoni Iraola.
But he scored a brilliant goal for Klopp's Germany in the Nations League last week against Serbia before captaining his county in a 0-0 draw with Greece three days later.
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And Collymore, who himself was a record signing for Liverpool when he signed for £8.5m from Nottingham Forest in 1995, believes Klopp's man-management can squeeze the best out of Wirtz for both club and country.
Speaking to Actionnetwork.com about the Reds attacking midfielder, Collymore said: "I watched the Germany vs Serbia game the other night, and he obviously scored a cracking goal. With somebody like Jurgen Klopp that's been at Liverpool, he'll be saying to Wirtz that we've both been at this club and you're a great player and you're incredibly important for Germany.
"I think it's going to be a case where, despite him not being his club manager, Jurgen Klopp will probably be the man that has the biggest impact on his Liverpool form because of him putting an arm around him in a Germany shirt.
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Florian Wirtz of Germany with Jurgen Klopp, Head Coach of Germany after the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between Greece and Germany at Toumba Stadium
Florian Wirz and Jurgen Klopp after Germany's draw in Greece(Image: Getty)
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"Wirtz played for a club that he (Klopp) managed and won the Premier League, and Klopp knows how great it is (at Liverpool), and often when players need to kick on, and to develop and get confidence, it's usually when they play in a League Cup or a Champions League game or a Europa League game, and they score a couple of goals and the pressure of the week in, week out, Premier League grind is off their shoulders.
"The other one is international football, and I think undoubtedly you could see that from Wirtz's performance the other day and if he translates that into a Liverpool shirt, then he can start to rebuild his confidence."
Wirtz is yet to find the net for the Reds this season and has one assist to his name in six appearances across the Premier League and Champions League. Fellow big-money signing Alexander Isak has started to kick into gear after a stop-start debut campaign, scoring four goals in five Premier League appearances.
But despite expressing positivity around the impact Klopp, who was appointed Liverpool boss on this day in 2015, could have on Wirtz, Collymore appears to yet be convinced that either player will truly make the grade at Anfield.
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CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - AUGUST 2: Liverpool FC Head Coach Andoni Iraola concentrates after the pre-season friendly match between Liverpool FC and Leeds United at Soldier Field on August 2, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
Liverpool's new head coach Andoni Iraola, pictured on the club's tour of the US(Michael Miller/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images)
"If I'm being honest, it's going to be difficult barring a miracle for both Wirtz and Isak to start hitting Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland numbers, respectively," he said. "But that doesn't mean they can't massively add to what Liverpool are trying to do, which is to win Premier Leagues and win European Cups.
"I think that once you start lukewarm at a club, even when a new manager comes in, I think that it is very difficult then to hit the ground running and then all of a sudden have this sort of golden spell. So I think that Florian Wirtz will contribute to Liverpool, and then it's down to other people to decide whether he's been value for money when he leaves Liverpool.
"With Jurgen Klopp being Germany's manager and Iraola, a very good manager at Liverpool, they'll put their arm around him and his output will be significantly better than what it's been to date."
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