Liverpool have had a stunning summer transfer window.
The Reds have pushed the boat out in terms of spending this summer, as their total spend has eclipsed the £200m mark, and there could be more to come.
Indeed, Alexander Isak could join Liverpool in what is still a very active situation.
Liverpool’s new signings have had interesting starts to their Anfield careers thus far.
Jeremie Frimpong has impressed already, while Milos Kerkez has struggled.
On top of that, Hugo Ekitike has done very well so far, while Florian Wirtz has had a mixed start to life at Anfield.
Speaking on The Rest is Football, Micah Richards has been discussing Wirtz’s start to life at Liverpool, and he’s identified one problem with Wirtz already.
Florian Wirtz of Liverpool looks on prior to the Premier League match between Liverpool and Bournemouth
Photo by Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images
Florian Wirtz is taking too long on the ball
Richards was asked who he thinks will end up being the signing of the season.
The pundit says he initially thought Florian Wirtz would take up that role, but he’s noted that the German is taking some time to get going.
Richards says Wirtz is taking too long on the ball at the moment and that he’s a marked man due to his transfer fee and his profile.
“Initially, if you asked me before a ball was kicked, I was raving about Reijnders and Wirtz. Wirtz has sort of taken a little while to get going. You can see his quality there,” Richards said.
“He’s probably taking a fraction too long on the ball and he’s a marked man because everyone knows about him. Ekitike, because not a lot of people knew about him, he’s sort of overachieving.”
Most expensive Premier League signings from the Bundesliga
It’s very early days for Wirtz at Liverpool, but the early signs from the German aren’t all that promising.
Indeed, Wirtz is yet to really make much of a material impact in Arne Slot’s side, and it won’t be long before doubts start to creep in.
Big-money signings from the Bundesliga have certainly struggled in England before.
Rank Player From (Bundesliga Club) To (Premier League Club) Year Fee (in £ million)
1 Florian Wirtz Bayer Leverkusen Liverpool 2025 £100m base (£116m incl. bonuses)
2 Jadon Sancho Borussia Dortmund Manchester United 2021 £72m
3 Josko Gvardiol RB Leipzig Manchester City 2023 £77m
4 Kai Havertz Bayer Leverkusen Chelsea 2020 £62m
5 Christian Pulisic Borussia Dortmund Chelsea 2019 £58m
Pulisic, Havertz and Sancho haven’t been brilliant in England, while players such as Timo Werner are other examples of Bundesliga flops in the Premier League.
It’s way too early to say that Wirtz will flop in the same way that some of the above players did in the Premier League, but, as Richards says, at the moment, the midfielder isn’t quite up to speed with the pace of the Premier League.