Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has offered a roadmap for the club's record signing, Florian Wirtz, to reignite his stuttering Anfield career, drawing on his own experience of arriving for a supersized fee.
The Weight of a Record Fee
The Dutch defender, who became the world's most expensive defender when he joined from Southampton for £75 million in 2018, understands the unique pressure facing the young German. Wirtz became Liverpool's first £100 million-plus player, arriving for a fee of £116 million, but after 17 appearances he is yet to score for the Reds.
His wait was cruelly extended on Wednesday, 4th December 2025, when his shot against Sunderland deflected off Nordi Mukiele for an own goal, denying him a maiden strike in a 1-1 draw at Anfield. This setback encapsulates a challenging start for Wirtz, which has coincided with Liverpool's worst run of form in over seventy years.
Diverging Paths from Big-Money Moves
While Van Dijk scored a late Merseyside derby winner on his debut, marking an instant impact, Wirtz's journey has been more complex. He provided an assist just four minutes into his debut in the Community Shield, but the team lost. Four months into his Liverpool tenure, he has been benched for four demanding Premier League matches, deployed as a number 10, a winger, and a substitute as both player and club search for the right fit.
"You can talk about it as much as you want, do whatever you want, but you have to deal with it yourself," Van Dijk stated, addressing the elephant in the room. "He is still such a young, talented boy who came to the club for a lot of money but he didn't pay that money, he's part of the bigger picture of trying to be a success here."
Finding the Path to Success
Van Dijk emphasised self-reliance and perspective. He advised Wirtz to ignore the external noise and unflattering statistics. "Don't get dragged into the outside world of when it's very good or very bad and don't get dragged into the numbers game," the captain urged.
He pointed out that while Wirtz is yet to register a goal or assist in the Premier League, his underlying contributions matter. The midfielder is in the top 20 for chances created in the division this season, and Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann has suggested Liverpool's forwards have been missing those opportunities.
Van Dijk remains a firm believer in Wirtz's world-class talent, citing his Bundesliga Player of the Year award in 2023-24 and promising performances in the Champions League against Real Madrid and others. "He's an outstanding, world-class player in my eyes who can only become even better but it will take a bit of time," Van Dijk affirmed.
The defender's final counsel was one of patience and resilience: "He has to stay level-headed: don't get too high, don't get too low... For him it is about keeping his head down, keep playing, keep working. We all know how quickly things can change." With Van Dijk's mentorship, Liverpool will hope their record investment finds his transformative moment soon.
