As Florian Wirtz looks to improve in his time with Liverpool moving forward after his performance against LASK, there have been some worrying predictions about his future emerging
Florian Wirtz of Liverpool during the UEFA Champions League 2026/27 League Phase MD2 match between LASK and Liverpool FC
Florian Wirtz is still looking to show his best for Liverpool(Image: (Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images))
Former Liverpool duo Steve McManaman and Joe Cole have outlined their concerns for Florian Wirtz, with the latter claiming the star may only have up until January to turn his fortunes around.
It follows a difficult start to the season for the playmaker, who has failed to make much of an impression in the Premier League this season, building on a challenging campaign last time out.
Wirtz had provided just one assist all season, up until he was given the opportunity to feature against LASK in the Champions League in midweek. The German international appeared to perform closer to his best, constantly looking to receive the ball and make something happen, while picking up another assist during a 6-3 victory on the night.
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It's a start for Wirtz, something for him to build on, but there is still recognition that he will need to do it against better opposition in the future.
The 23-year-old became a topic of discussion for former Liverpool stars McManaman and Cole, as the duo both claimed more was needed from the big-money signing sooner rather than later.
Speaking ahead of the game, the McManaman started by saying on TNT Sports: "That's the million-dollar question, isn't it [how to get the best out of Wirtz]? Because he's really struggled. And it's going to be really difficult for Florian, because the narrative first was that he was struggling and only Liverpool fans knew he was struggling.
Bradley Barcola celebrates with Florian Wirtz and Rio Ngumoha after scoring for Liverpool against LASK.
Bradley Barcola celebrates with Florian Wirtz and Rio Ngumoha after scoring for Liverpool against LASK.(Image: Marco Steinbrenner/DeFodi via Getty Images)
"But now, the whole country knows he's struggling. Against Manchester City, he gave the ball away time, after time, after time. And you're running out of excuses for him now, because he's now 15, 16 months into his Liverpool tenure. He has to start learning, start developing into the player Liverpool want him to be. And this is now on the top of everybody's tongue."
As for Cole, he believes that the star needs to turn things around by January, as he added: "You cannot take away what the kid's done. He was the most exciting player in the Bundesliga. Germany, with all the talent they've got, gave him the number ten shirt.
"Technically and tactically, he is good enough to play for Liverpool. My concern is, he's still only 23; the physicality of the German league is just off our league, so he can use his skills.
"But sometimes in Premier League games, I look at him, and it looks like he's just been overrun, he's losing silly balls, it's moving too fast for him. But you have to take into factor he's a young man, the team's not operating around him well.
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"When you play in that position, more than any other position, you need the team operating around you because you need to be fed the ball. But, as the time ticks on, it just looks like it's not going to be his home. I think, up until January, he needs to really turn it around."
The task for Andoni Iraola is finding a way to get the best out of Wirtz in the coming weeks and months. There could be plenty of factors that all play into that, from confidence to the way the team plays.
On the confidence front, a positive display against LASK could provide the foundations for him to kick on and improve. However, when it comes to the tactical elements, there is a dilemma for the manager with whether he changes everything to suit a player who hasn't quite shown enough yet, or whether he somehow fits him into the system.
With tougher opposition to come, it remains to be seen whether Wirtz can now kickstart his Liverpool career after that midweek display, or whether it is yet another frustrating stop-start moment for him at Liverpool.