2 weeks ago
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Liverpool's £116 million ($155.8 million) recruit Florian Wirtz has had a bumpy beginning to his Anfield career, failing to register a goal or assist in the Premier League since his transfer from Bayer Leverkusen.
The German midfielder has found himself on the bench for recent clashes against Everton and Chelsea. The 22-year-old is facing mounting scrutiny as a result, despite several German soccer legends rallying to his defence amid criticism in England.
His transfer fee, which could have been a British record before Liverpool's £125 million ($167.9 million) signing of Alexander Isak from Newcastle on deadline day, has inevitably drawn him further significant attention, which has only intensified the longer his slow start has persisted.
However, former Arsenal and Chelsea player Emmanuel Petit has expressed his view that Wirtz isn't worth the hefty price tag Liverpool shelled out. He believes that given Wirtz's shaky start at Anfield, the midfielder would likely concur.
"The Premier League is a different challenge to the Bundesliga," the World Cup winner said while speaking to Boyle Sports. "Leverkusen often counter-attacked, giving him space to perform. Liverpool dominate opponents, so the tactics are different.
"Florian Wirtz is coming to a new culture and environment with significant pressure. Honestly, I don't believe he's worth the transfer fee, despite the respect I have for him as a player.
"I think some players suffer because of the deals between clubs. If you asked him, he'd probably say he isn't worth that money, but it's the reality.
"I understand it will take time for him to adapt his style to the Premier League. He's talented, so I believe he will succeed, but he'll need more games and a better understanding with his teammates.
"The Premier League is not the Bundesliga, and Liverpool plays differently than Leverkusen."
Speaking last month, Liverpool manager Arne Slot insisted Wirtz possesses a ruthless edge on the pitch that could help him flourish in the Premier League. He remarked: "To say that he's an artist doesn't do him justice.
"He is an artist, but he can be mean as well. Otherwise, you can't reach the levels he's reaching. He works incredibly hard here in this building to get better and better and better.
"So that mentality he has inside of him and you also see that mentality when he loses the ball once or twice. He's not going to hide, he wants the third one, he wants the fourth one."
Slot continued: "He's adjusting, in my opinion, very well. It gets better and better every single game. He always wants to have the ball, even if he has a few moments where we feel like he could do better.
"He just always wants to keep the ball, always keeps on trying. And he gets better and better, and fitter and fitter. That's maybe the thing that matters most, because we don't have to teach him how to play football. He just has to adapt to the intensity levels of the Premier League."
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