Liverpool's record signing Florian Wirtz is facing intense scrutiny after a difficult beginning to his Anfield career, with former Manchester United defender Gary Neville delivering a particularly brutal assessment of the German midfielder's performances.
Record transfer failing to deliver
The 22-year-old attacking midfielder arrived from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth up to £116 million, making him Liverpool's most expensive signing in history. However, his early contributions have been limited to just three assists across all competitions since joining in the summer transfer window.
Wirtz's struggles mirror those of fellow big-money signing Alexander Isak, who joined from Newcastle United for a British-record £125 million on deadline day. Both players have found it challenging to replicate their previous form in Liverpool's colours.
Neville's damning criticism
The situation reached a boiling point following Liverpool's 3-0 defeat to Manchester City before the international break, when Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville didn't hold back in his analysis of Wirtz's performance.
"He's £120m and he looked like a little boy out there," Neville stated bluntly. "We've been tip-toeing around him haven't we, for a few months, around the fact that he's young, coming to a new country. But he's £120million, you're going to have to stand up soon."
Neville added that Wirtz had been "mauled" by City's midfield and described his display as "a real worry" for the Reds.
Defenders rally to Wirtz's support
Despite the criticism, several figures have come to the German international's defence, pointing to broader issues within the Liverpool squad.
Bayer Leverkusen's sporting director Simon Rolfes offered his perspective, telling German outlet Kolner Stadt-Anzeiger: "For all his individual class, Flo is above all one thing: a total team player. Flo thrives on combination play, but at the moment Liverpool hasn't quite gelled as a team yet. That makes things more difficult for Flo."
Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann had previously suggested that Liverpool's strikers need to start converting the opportunities Wirtz is creating, arguing that his assist numbers would look considerably better with improved finishing from his teammates.
Wirtz's Germany teammate Nick Woltemade, who joined Newcastle this summer, also supported his compatriot: "For every player, adjusting isn't easy. But he's doing very well. On paper, you might not see the goals, but if you compare my games with his, he's much more involved in play."
Adaptation challenges at Anfield
The attacking midfielder has found himself in and out of head coach Arne Slot's starting line-ups this season, with the Dutch manager still experimenting with his best position in Liverpool's revamped squad.
This inconsistency at team level has been reflected in Liverpool's overall results, with impressive victories like their 1-0 triumph over Real Madrid in the Champions League followed by disappointing domestic performances.
Wirtz's current output represents a significant drop from his prolific form at Leverkusen, where he registered 57 goals and 65 assists across all competitions under former boss Xabi Alonso.
As Liverpool continues to search for consistency in their post-Jurgen Klopp era, all eyes will be on whether their record signing can adapt to the demands of English football and justify his substantial price tag.
