The transition could trigger a chain reaction that shakes the whole of Europe.
Florian Wirtz could already be on his way out of Liverpool – after just one season at the club. A Premier League rival is said to be very interested in hijacking the German.
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Wirtz joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen last summer for a transfer fee of a staggering £107 million. Expectations were sky-high, but the 23-year-old has struggled to live up to them. On Merseyside, there were only five goals and four assists in the league – far below what the fans had hoped for.
In an interview with TNT Sports, Wirtz admitted that he has had great difficulty adapting to the “intense and physical” game in England.
“When I was at Leverkusen, I could have more time on the ball and turn more easily,” said the 23-year-old.
“You have to be so ready here – with the first touch you have to be already gone, otherwise you’ll have three men on you hammering into you. There is a big difference.
Castle fired – Iraola gives a second chance?
Many Liverpool supporters believe that Wirtz’s problems were partly due to the system of then manager Arne Slot. A disappointing season, in which Liverpool narrowly secured Champions League qualification via a fifth-place finish, ended with Slot being sacked last month.
Now Andoni Iraola is hired, and he can give Wirtz a clean slate when the German returns from the World Cup. The question is whether Liverpool will even have the opportunity to keep him.
Chelsea and Xabi Alonso are lurking in the wings
According to Football Insider, Chelsea and Xabi Alonso are “big admirers” of Wirtz, and they see him as a key player in a huge summer clean-up.
Chelsea had a nightmare season without European play, and the club has already got rid of both Enzo Maresca and Liam Rosenior. Alonso has been hired as manager, and he wants a fresh start.
Chelsea have already sold Marc Cucurella to Real Madrid, and Enzo Fernandez could also be on his way out. If Fernandez follows Cucurella to the Santiago Bernabéu, Chelsea will probably test Liverpool’s willingness to keep Wirtz.
The bond between Wirtz and Alonso is strong. Alonso coached Wirtz at Leverkusen for three seasons – and in 2024 they won the Bundesliga together. It is a relationship of trust that can be decisive.
Jürgen Klopp: How to get the best out of Wirtz
One man still has faith in Wirtz: former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. He works as an expert commentator during the World Cup, and after Germany’s 2-1 win over Ivory Coast, he outlined exactly how Wirtz can be triggered.
Instead of expecting Wirtz to do everything when he retrieves the ball deep, Klopp believes he needs to be let loose further up the pitch.
“Wirtz gets into a rhythm when he’s constantly getting the ball,” Klopp told Magenta TV.
“It’s important to involve him, because then Flo can feel safe and comfortable on the pitch.
“He shouldn’t have to go down and get the ball from his own penalty area and be expected to start attacks. We have to find moments where we can use him in the right position, because with his position he creates a huge amount of space for the players next to him, for the full-backs and for anyone who can run into those spaces,” Klopp explained.
The question is whether Liverpool will be able to find the key before Chelsea knock on the door.
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