Liverpool’s record-signing Florian Wirtz continues to find his transfer under scrutiny as the German midfielder battles injury concerns. Thierry Henry has notably put forward his reservations about players making the leap from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, with Wirtz’s performance raising eyebrows.
Liverpool fans looked on with bated breath as the club shelled out £116 million for Wirtz – a fee that stood as their highest until Alexander Isak’s subsequent signing. Until now, the former Bayer Leverkusen star has displayed flashes of brilliance but has struggled to adapt fully to the Premier League’s demands. Despite tallying three assists in 16 appearances, two came against German opponents Eintracht Frankfurt, hinting at difficulties transitioning to English football’s rigor.
Henry, an icon of the Premier League, voiced his scepticism: “It’s not easy to come into a team and immediately make an impact, as seen with Florian Wirtz at Liverpool. Personally, I always view Bundesliga signings with a bit of caution. I’m not saying they can’t succeed elsewhere, but due to the league’s nature very stretched effective runners often find ample chances to produce numbers. But in the Premier League, everyone can match your pace, making it a tough challenge.”
Despite the setback, Liverpool have maintained solid form in the Champions League, having recently notched a 5-1 victory against Frankfurt and a 1-0 triumph over Real Madrid. However, Wirtz, after picking up an injury during international duty with Germany, is set to miss the upcoming Champions League fixture against PSV Eindhoven. Conor Bradley and Jeremie Frimpong also missed Liverpool’s recent training session, though no further injury issues have surfaced.
As Liverpool prepare to face PSV, they’ll be hoping to bring their European form into their domestic campaign, with recent results leaving much to be desired.