Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has sent out a strong message to Reds fans about new signing Florian Wirtz following the German midfielder's slow start to life at Anfield. Wirtz moved to Merseyside on a blockbuster £116 million ($156m) transfer from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, but the star player is yet to deliver with a goal or an assist in the Premier League and Champions League.
Wirtz under fire after slow start to life at Liverpool
The Reds broke the bank in the last transfer window to rebuild their squad as they emerged as the Premier League's highest spenders in the summer. A large chunk of the amount spent in the window went on securing Wirtz's signature from Bayer Leverkusen as the Premier League side broke the British transfer record. Wirtz had enjoyed tremendous success at Leverkusen during his five-and-a-half-year stint in the Bundesliga and as a result expectations were very high for the Germany international.
The 22-year-old, however, has failed to live up to the hype thus far, as he is yet to score a goal or provide an assist in the Premier League or in a Champions League match. His sloppy form at the start of the 2025-26 campaign has naturally drawn criticism from pundits in England and the club's recent slump in form – losing three games in a row – has raised further questions on Wirtz's abilities.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesKlopp hails Wirtz as 'a once-in-a-century talent'
Despite the chatter in the UK over Wirtz's form, former Liverpool boss Klopp has sent out a strong message to Liverpool fans, while defending the German star. Speaking to , the legendary manager said: "His quality is so outstanding. The discussions are a bit exaggerated. Liverpool just lost three games in a row, which is unusual. But that’s also normal in life. And that’s why such things are discussed there. Now I’ve been in the middle of such discussions long enough and can say: nothing could interest people there less than the public discussions. [Wirtz is] a once-in-a-century talent, and at some point he’ll show that in every game again, just as he did at Leverkusen."
Wirtz has Nagelsmann's support
Not just Klopp, but Wirtz also has the backing of Germany national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann, as the 38-year-old fiercely defended the midfielder amid all the negative talk. Ahead of Germany's upcoming World Cup qualifier against Northern Ireland next week, Nagelsmann : "Even if he hasn't scored a goal, he's the player who creates the most chances in the Premier League. It's not his fault if his team-mate doesn't create them, and the statistic isn't even a third of the truth. He simply has to get used to the league. I've seen him feel completely liberated. He knows what he's capable of and how things work. Not everything has always been handed to him – he'll work hard now, too."
Getty Images SportWirtz will hope to regain form
Wirtz is looking to build up some form during the international break with Germany. The four-time world champions registered back-to-back World Cup 2026 qualification wins, having opened up their campaign last month with a surprise 2-0 loss in Slovakia. They, however, quickly bounced back with a 3-1 home triumph over Northern Ireland and then thrashed Luxembourg 4-0 on Friday night.
The European heavyweights now seek a third successive victory when they travel to Windsor Park in Belfast on Monday night. The Liverpool star netted in the reverse fixture against the Green and White Army and will hope to bag his second qualifying goal on Monday, ahead of the return to domestic duties next weekend.
Arne Slot's side get their Premier League campaign back underway by welcoming rivals Manchester United as they seek to end their current losing streak. The reigning English champions have lost their last three competitive fixtures, with a 1-0 Champions League defeat to Galatasaray sandwiched between late Premier League defeats at Crystal Palace and Chelsea. The back-to-back Premier League defeats also led to Arsenal overtaking them in the league table and grabbing pole position.
