Florian Wirtz is said to be "having an awful time" at Liverpool, but the £117 million ($157m) signing has been backed to come good and "adjust to his new life off the pitch". The 22-year-old German sensation, once billed as Europe's next big thing, has failed to deliver a single goal or assist in nine appearances across all competitions for the Reds. His ordinary displays have left fans seething and many are questioning whether the Bundesliga prodigy was worth such a jaw-dropping fee.
Liverpool’s £117m gamble in crisis
Wirtz’s frustration is visible on and off the pitch. His confidence appears shattered, his creativity dulled, and his spark missing in a Liverpool side that suddenly looks less ferocious than the one that stormed to last year’s Premier League title. Arne Slot’s patience also appears to be wearing thin. In a statement move that shocked fans, the Liverpool boss benched Wirtz for their defeat against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. Instead, Slot turned to a midfield trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Dominik Szoboszlai, with attacking duties falling to Mohamed Salah, Cody Gakpo, and Alexander Isak. The decision was seen as a public wake-up call for Wirtz, a signal that reputation and price tag mean little in Slot’s system if the performances don’t follow. For now, the German star remains on notice: improve quickly, or risk becoming the Premier League’s most expensive passenger.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWaddle jumps to Wirtz's defence
While criticism has poured in from all angles, one man has come to Wirtz’s defence, former England international Chris Waddle. In an interview with, he said: "I’ve watched Wirtz for a few years, and he’s a terrific talent, but he’s having an awful time right now. He’s not doing it for Germany either, and they’re struggling a bit in World Cup qualifying. They have built the team around him there and it’s not quite happening, but there’s no doubting his talent. He was wonderful for Leverkusen but his confidence will be low while expectations are sky high.
"People forget he’s only 21, but it’s hard to just arrive in the Premier League. In Germany he had more time on the ball and now it’s 100 miles an hour for him. He needs to get up to speed, and we don’t know how easy he has found it to adjust off the pitch to a new life. If people are patient, he’ll be fine. I had an awful start at Marseille, for months people questioned my signing, my price tag, and then it all clicked suddenly. I was ‘Magic Chris’ but before then I was getting annihilated. He just needs to settle down and get used to a physical league."
Are Liverpool title favourites?
Even as Wirtz battles his demons, Liverpool’s wider problems are hard to ignore. Once favourites for the Premier League crown, the Reds’ aura of dominance is fading fast. When asked if Liverpool are still favourites for the Premier League after three successive defeats, including two in the Premier League to Crystal Palace and Chelsea, Waddle refused to jump on the hype train.
"I'm not going to say that," he opined. "I'm not going to say they’re guaranteed to win it. They spent all this money on Isak, Wirtz, Kerkez, Frimpong and Ekitike. We all thought the league was finished before it began. But no, Arsenal, City and Chelsea will have a say. Tottenham have an outside chance right now. The Premier League is rarely a gimme. Just because they have four or five big new names, doesn’t mean you’re going to win anything.
"With the squad Liverpool have assembled, they'll be expected to compete in the FA Cup, League Cup and the Champions League too. They will be expected to win trophies. Other teams are running with less pressure. Arsenal weren’t the favourites like Liverpool were, even if they spent big. Manchester City are almost an unknown quantity. Straight away, we all looked to Liverpool, because they’re the champions, but it doesn’t work like that."
Getty ImagesWirtz putting in the hard yards with Germany
Wirtz’s troubles haven’t stopped at the club level. His form for Germany has also raised eyebrows, with the national team enduring a bumpy World Cup qualifying campaign, which includes a shock 2-0 loss to Slovakia. The frontline looks disjointed, and Wirtz’s lack of confidence has become a glaring issue. During this week’s international break, the youngster was spotted putting in extra hours after training, working relentlessly on his finishing and sharpness, a sign that he’s determined to claw his way back to form. Germany face Luxembourg on October 10 and Northern Ireland on October 13, and Wirtz knows this could be his best chance to reset his season before returning to Merseyside. After the international break, Liverpool’s next match is against arch-rivals Manchester United on October 19, a game that could define Wirtz’s early Liverpool career. For a player trying to silence doubters, there’s no stage bigger or fiercer. A strong performance could transform his season and win over the Anfield faithful. Another no-show, however, and the pressure will only intensify.
