Liverpool's Wirtz problem - does he need to be dropped?

More than a year since his £116m move, Florian Wirtz is still struggling to hit top form at Liverpool, and pressure is mounting over whether the club should take him out of the starting lineup. At the end of the 2024-25 season, Liverpool pursued a major attacking midfielder and ultimately secured Wirtz ahead of interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester City. At the time, his arrival at Anfield was heralded as a massive statement signing for the reigning Premier League champions.

However, things have not clicked as expected. Over 56 appearances for the Reds, Wirtz has contributed seven goals and 11 assists, yet he failed to record a single goal involvement against any of the top-10 Premier League teams last season. This term, under new manager Andoni Iraola, his struggles continued, managing just one assist across the opening seven matches in all competitions.

Recent performances have brought these issues into sharp focus. During a match against Manchester City, Iraola substituted Wirtz in the 66th minute following a red card for Ryan Gravenberch and a breakthrough goal by Erling Haaland. Contrastingly, Rayan Cherki, whom Liverpool scouted before opting for Wirtz, has thrived since joining Manchester City for a fraction of the cost, racking up significantly more goal involvements and providing crucial game-changing moments.

Pundits and former players have increasingly voiced concern over Wirtz's lack of tangible impact. Former Liverpool defender Steven Warnock noted that while Wirtz possesses immense natural ability and glides across the pitch effortlessly, he fails to consistently hurt opponents or maintain involvement throughout matches. Similarly, Jamie Carragher asserted that the German needs to be removed from the starting eleven, pointing out that Liverpool are failing to create chances or score goals despite bringing Wirtz in precisely to solve those creative problems.

At only 23 years of age, Wirtz undeniably possesses immense potential and technical grace. Yet, the high expectations attached to a British-record-shaking fee mean patience is wearing thin among supporters and analysts alike. As Liverpool navigate a challenging campaign under Iraola, the coaching staff faces a critical decision regarding their marquee playmaker's immediate future in the team.