Florian Wirtz does not look like a £116m player but it is too early to write him off
Quick summary
A Guardian analysis questioning whether Florian Wirtz has justified his £116m move to Liverpool, while cautioning against premature judgment on the German playmaker.
Full article
Attributed to original sourceThe 23-year-old playmaker has been disappointing for Liverpool but has he really been that bad?
By Opta Analyst
When Florian Wirtz signed for Liverpool in the summer of 2025, there was only one logical assumption. The Premier League champions at the time had recruited one of the hottest young talents in world football – a key player in the Bayer Leverkusen team that had won the double in 2023-24 and a star in the Germany team. An exciting and productive young attacking midfielder being added to the best team in England? How could this not work?
Football has a habit of flipping the script, though. Last season was difficult for Liverpool for several reasons, and Wirtz, along with other new arrivals, struggled to make the impact expected of a £116m player. There were conversations among fans this summer about how long he and fellow nine-figure signing Alexander Isak should be given before difficult questions needed be asked. The broad consensus was until Christmas.
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What happened
The Guardian's Opta-powered piece examines Florian Wirtz's performances since his high-profile £116m transfer to Liverpool. The analysis suggests the playmaker has not yet lived up to the fee, with statistical output falling short of expectations. However, the article argues it is too early to write off the German international, noting adaptation challenges, the weight of the price tag, and Liverpool's evolving tactical setup under Arne Slot. The piece frames Wirtz as a long-term project whose true value may take time to materialize.
Chance analysis
Wirtz's underwhelming start at Liverpool is a familiar story in modern football — massive transfer fees create unrealistic timelines for adaptation. Bayer Leverkusen's creative hub is now operating in a different system with different expectations, and the Premier League's physical demands compound the adjustment. The key question for Liverpool's season is whether Slot can unlock Wirtz's best form, because the club's attacking structure increasingly depends on a player who has not yet found his rhythm. Patience will be required, but the margin for patience in a £116m deal is always shorter than it looks.
Wirtz's slow adaptation casts doubt on Liverpool's attacking ceiling, though no immediate lineup or availability change is signaled.