Florian Wirtz has struggled to get a start at Liverpool after his £116m move from Bayer Leverkusen, but the German hints at what needs to change
Florian Wirtz has yet to hit his stride since joining Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in a £116m deal this summer. The German playmaker has not scored a goal in the Premier League so far, so his performances have been under scrutiny and many pundits have taken notice.
The reigning Premier League champions have also been absent, losing their last three games before the October international break, adding to the criticism.
Manager Arne Slott’s appointment of the 22-year-old has also sparked much debate, with opinions divided across the football world as to where Wilts is best placed on the pitch.
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So far in his Liverpool career, the midfielder has mainly played as a number 10, although he has also played on the left wing on a few occasions, including in the Reds’ defeat to Crystal Palace.
Among the many pundits debating Wirtz’s role, there is a significant divide between those who say he should play as a number 10 and those who are adamant that he should be used on the left wing.
It is clear that neither Slot nor Wertz will be able to reach the top unless their performance improves.
However, the German player has his own preferences when it comes to his favorite position.
It’s disappointing to disappoint those hoping to see the 22-year-old replace Kodi Gakpo on the left wing, but he has made it clear that his preferred role is in midfield.
Wirtz recently gave an exclusive interview to Sky Sports, in which he responded to video messages from those closest to him about his journey so far ahead of his move to Liverpool.
Both FC Köln’s youth coaches Martin Heck and Markus Daun feature in the film, and Wirtz acknowledges the role they played in his development.
And Wirtz, who won the German championship with the Cologne Under-17s in 2019 under Heck’s guidance, revealed how both helped bring out the best qualities in him.
“He (Heck) was always there for us and motivated us, especially me,” he recalled. “He gave me freedom on the pitch.
“He put me in the positions I needed to be, such as behind the number 10 striker, and gave me freedom.
“It was the same with Marcus, where I even captained the Under-17 team in my second year.
“They were the coaches that gave me the confidence I needed, the confidence to play my game and be the best I could be.”
Meanwhile, in one of Down’s video posts, the coach revealed details of an argument he once had with Wirtz and how it only strengthened his belief that his compatriot was destined for the top.
“I asked him in a meeting about his career goals,” Down recalls. “The whole team said, ‘Oh, I’m this year’s German championship winner and I’m going to be in the starting lineup.'”
“Florian said, ‘I’ll win the Ballon d’Or in the future,’ and I said, ‘Okay.’
“Usually I would say, ‘Okay, be realistic,’ but this time I said, ‘Okay, if I follow my path, I can achieve it!'”
“I knew from the beginning that he would work his way to the top of the world.”
Wirtz revealed the truth behind his Ballon d’Or aspirations and confessed with a laugh. “I used to say that every day when I was younger!”
Elsewhere in the interview, Wirtz also dropped potential clues as to why he chose Liverpool over Bayern Munich, emphasizing how important it was for him to leave Leverkusen on good terms.
“I’m really happy (to leave Leverkusen on good terms),” he said. “I would be really sad if it was the other way around.
“Together, we accomplished something really, really big and incredible. Ultimately, we talked, we trusted each other, we thought openly, and we made the best thing possible for this move.”
“In the end, everyone was happy. That’s what’s really important to me and I’m really happy about it.”
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