'I talked to Florian Wirtz a lot after he joined Liverpool - it wasn't what he expected'

Florian Wirtz looks to be finding his feet after struggling early on in his Anfield career, with one of his former teammates lifting the lid on his conversations with the Liverpool star

Florian Wirtz looks to be finding his feet after a difficult start to life at Liverpool(Image: Getty Images)

Bayern Munich defender Jonathan Tah has opened up on his conversations with Florian Wirtz this season, and insists that his former club teammate is only going to grow at Liverpool.

After a difficult start to life at Anfield, Wirtz looks to be finding his feet with the Reds. The 22-year-old has six goal involvements from his last eight Premier League games, having gone 15 appearances without one beforehand.

His partnership with Hugo Ekitike in particular has been earning plaudits from a number of pundits recently, with the pair being compared to Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres during their heyday on Merseyside.

Wirtz’s recent form won’t come as a surprise to Tah, who played alongside him at Bayer Leverkusen, and remains a teammate of his with the German national team.

The defender remained in contact with Wirtz following his big-money move to Liverpool, and has revealed how the forward felt during those early days when doubts were being expressed by some.

“It was really interesting for me,” Tah told ESPN. “We talked a lot during that time and now as well. I know how it was for him.

“Obviously, the start wasn't what he expected, what everybody expected but I think it was good for him to learn; not only as a player to adapt to everything but his personality.

Jonathan Tah has opened up on his conversations with Florian Wirtz following his move to Liverpool(Image: Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

“He will grow from that. Now he is doing good but I think you will see even more of him. The Premier League is going to see the Florian Wirtz during the next months or years he's going to be there. He is still going to improve.”

Wirtz will be hoping to continue his progress and show his growth as a player when Liverpool takes on Manchester City on Sunday.

The reverse fixture at the Etihad in November saw the German come in for some heavy criticism, with Gary Neville particularly scathing after saying he “looked like a little boy” against Pep Guardiola’s side.

Wirtz though has been undergoing extensive work with Liverpool to cope with the physical demands of the Premier League, and the Reds are now starting to see the results of his efforts.

"First and foremost credit to the player, because he has to do the work – not only on the pitch, but also in the gym,” Arne Slot said on Wirtz this week.

“And also as a manager, even if he is maybe struggling physically a little bit in the start, you need to keep on playing him because that's the only way that players can improve. I had many of them this season.

“I think he did not improve that much on the ball, because from the start he was special on the ball. Maybe now he has a better connection with his teammates because they've played more and more together, but off the ball I see the biggest improvement with him, and with some others.

“That combination makes you ready for the Premier League, because the Premier League is about both – it's not only about on the ball, it's also about off the ball."