In a reassuring address, revered former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has offered his perspective on Florian Wirtz’s current challenges at the club, citing that what “everyone knows” is being overblown in the public discourse.
Since his high-profile move, valued at £116 million, Wirtz has yet to hit the expected heights for Liverpool, contributing an assist in the Community Shield but struggling to replicate such efforts in subsequent matches. Over the last nine games, he has neither scored nor assisted, a concerning development leading manager Arne Slot to omit him from the squad in their recent 2-1 defeat to Chelsea.
Contrasting his club form, Wirtz delivered a standout performance for Germany in their commanding 4-0 triumph over Luxembourg, earning acclaim from the nation’s media and indicating the challenges may be more Liverpool-centric. Having excelled previously at Bayer Leverkusen, it appears adapting to life at Anfield presents the primary hurdle.
Klopp, however, dismisses any long-term concerns regarding the young German’s calibre. He remarked, “I don’t have to worry about Florian Wirtz because his quality is so outstanding. Of course, everything is fine, and everyone knows that. The discussion is certainly being blown out of proportion.”
Reflecting on Liverpool’s rare three-match losing streak, Klopp described this as an atypical yet natural occurrence in football, encouraging patience amid the resultant scrutiny. He further expressed confidence in Wirtz, who he has lauded as a “once-in-a-century talent”, to rediscover his Leverkusen form at Liverpool.
“[Wirtz has] a stable environment at Liverpool, and the club is great in moments like these. If anyone’s worried, you don’t have to! You can stop.”
There remain whispers, though, about Wirtz’s current positioning not entirely suiting him at Liverpool. He adopts a deeper role compared to his time at Leverkusen, where he thrived on the left flank, assuming responsibilities likened to a left-winger. To unlock his full potential, it may be worthwhile for Liverpool to consider railing from current central constraints and repositioning him to exploit his renowned attacking prowess.
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