Florian Wirtz’s Journey at Liverpool: Challenges and Progress

Expectations soared when Florian Wirtz made a notable move to Liverpool in June, with the Premier League champions paying £116 million (€133m/$157m) to acquire him from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen, outbidding both Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

However, the 22-year-old has had a disappointing start to his tenure on Merseyside, failing to score in 22 appearances across all competitions for manager Arne Slot’s team.

Recently, Wirtz showed potential for a turnaround, notching his first league assist in Liverpool’s 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur last Saturday. He set up Alexander Isak, who opened the scoring for the visitors in north London.

Unfortunately, the match took a toll on Isak, who suffered a fractured leg after an attempt by Spurs defender Micky van de Ven to block a shot. As a result, Isak has been sidelined for a couple of months, as confirmed by Slot.

Wirtz is now looking to build on his initial assist as Liverpool prepares to face winless Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday. He has also been advised that his challenges would be magnified had he been playing for Bayern, where the media scrutiny is intense.

In an interview with the German publication SZ, Thomas Muller, currently with MLS Cup runners-up Vancouver, discussed Wirtz’s transition to English football. He expressed his contentment with his time at Bayern, stating, “Nowhere else are you in the melting pot of attention as much as you are as a national player in Munich. I loved that so much, in good times and bad.”

Muller noted, “Take Flo Wirtz, who took an international step with his move to Liverpool. At Bayern, he would certainly have had an easier time adapting to the game, as he would have remained in the same league.”

When asked about Wirtz’s current form, Muller remarked, “That’s true [that he is struggling]. But it’s nowhere near comparable to the media attention you get as a player when things aren’t going well for you at FC Bayern. You’re in the spotlight every day. As a foreigner, you’re just not talked about as much!”

Muller’s legacy at Bayern is notable, having won 33 trophies over a 17-year span and being hailed as one of the greatest German footballers, contributing to his country’s victory in the 2014 World Cup.

As Wirtz aims for his first goal with Liverpool against struggling Wolves at Anfield, Slot has commented on the supportive environment within the dressing room to help him adjust to the Premier League’s demands. He stated, “I hope I made it clear that I am talking not just about the new players but players in general. Florian has improved a lot. I am not talking about his ability on the ball because we could see from the start that that was top.

“But I saw in one moment against Brighton where he took the ball off Dom (Szoboszlai), dribbled, and pushed a defender away before providing a cut-back cross for Hugo [Ekitike] who shot over the bar. Later, he won a duel with (Brighton’s) Jan Paul van Hecke that led to a counterattack with a shot from Mo (Salah).

“In those moments, it gets easier for him. It takes a lot of effort for him to play with this intensity, but he is adapting. It’s about playing, playing, playing, rather than just training, which we hardly ever do.”