Premier League pundit Simon Jordan has branded Florian Wirtz "not fit for purpose" amid his stuttering first 14 months at Liverpool. Wirtz is finding it difficult to justify the £116million fee that brought him to Anfield from Bayer Leverkusen last year.
Carragher and Murphy join criticism
Reds legend Jamie Carragher has even called for the 23-year-old midfielder, signed for £100m plus £16m in add-ons, to be dropped to the bench by manager Andoni Iraola. Speaking on talkSPORT, fellow former Liverpool player Danny Murphy added to the criticism by conceding Wirtz is "struggling" and hinting that he may lack the physical attributes required for the Premier League.
He went on to argue that Wirtz deserves further time to bed into Andoni Iraola's system - though patience appears to be running thin on Merseyside.
Jordan questions financial viability
Responding to Murphy, Jordan asked: "You look at it and say, five-year contract depreciating at £20m a year. On their books at £70m now, can they get out of it if they need to?
"Can they get out of it and find a way to get him out of the door if he's not going to fit? I'm not the best person to assess whether a player can change their direction of travel because of their physicality.
"But if all the things Danny suggests are absolutely prevalent to what Iraola's success is going to be, or not, then the player's not going to be fit for purpose, is he?"
Declining output and wage concerns
Jordan's remarks indicate Wirtz's market valuation has plummeted by approximately £30million since his arrival in England. Beyond the financial hit, offloading the No. 10 for such a substantial loss at this stage would constitute a damaging indictment of Liverpool's recruitment strategy.
Having delivered a goal or assist every 1.61 matches for Bayer Leverkusen, that figure has deteriorated to a direct goal contribution every three fixtures for the Reds. Wirtz, who commands £200,000 weekly at Anfield, has managed just a solitary assist across six appearances this campaign.
Despite his difficulties in England, Liverpool have maintained an unbeaten record in all competitions thus far this term. Iraola's backline has especially shown marked improvement since his appointment, although three draws from five Premier League matches fall short of the club's expectations.
Considering the player's reported salary, securing a buyer immediately may well prove challenging regardless. Liverpool presently have nine squad members on their books earning no less than £200,000 weekly, with Virgil van Dijk heading the wages on £350,000 per week. The club cannot afford to sustain any of those players at such considerable cost. And there's mounting opinion in certain quarters that Liverpool might be wiser to cut their losses sooner rather than later.
