Germany’s manager Julian Nagelsmann and former Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp have both come to the defense of Florian Wirtz, addressing his lackluster start in the Premier League.
Wirtz made a headline-grabbing switch to Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for a club-record fee of £116 million ($154 million) over the summer.
Since his arrival at Anfield, Wirtz has not been able to replicate the dominant performances he delivered at Leverkusen, where he played a pivotal role in their unbeaten Bundesliga championship season under coach Xabi Alonso.
Recently, he was benched by Arne Slot during Liverpool’s 2-1 defeat against Chelsea just before the international break.
Despite his tough transition to Anfield, Wirtz has maintained a spot in Nagelsmann’s squad for Germany, recently scoring a spectacular free-kick in a victory over Northern Ireland and playing a full match during the 4-0 win over Luxembourg.
Nagelsmann commented to Sport 1: “Although he hasn’t scored yet, he remains the player creating the most chances in the Premier League. It’s not his fault if his teammates fail to convert, and statistics don’t capture the entire picture.” He added, “Wirtz needs to adjust to the league. I’ve seen him play with complete freedom and understand his capabilities. He hasn’t always had it easy, but he’ll need to work hard now.”
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Klopp, who managed Liverpool from 2015 to 2024, also defended Wirtz. Liverpool entered the international break after suffering three consecutive losses to Crystal Palace, Chelsea, and Galatasaray.
He believes the mounting pressure on Wirtz is largely because of these defeats and is confident that things will ultimately turn around. Klopp stated, “His talent is exceptional; the scrutiny surrounding him is a bit overblown. Liverpool losing three straight matches is unusual, but such ups and downs happen in life, leading to these discussions. [Wirtz is] a once-in-a-lifetime talent, and he will soon showcase his brilliance in every match, just as he did at Leverkusen.”
Liverpool will return to Premier League action against Manchester United this Sunday, and Wirtz will be eager to demonstrate that Nagelsmann and Klopp’s faith in him is well-placed, aiming to shine on the Premier League stage.