Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has sent a clear message to Florian Wirtz that proves the Reds’ £100m transfer plan is about to pay off at Anfield.
Florian Wirtz arrived at Liverpool during the summer of 2025 for a fee north of £100m. His blockbuster transfer fee was dwarfed only by Alexander Isak’s, but neither marquee signing really lived up to the massive expectations during their first outings at Anfield.
While Isak tragically missed most of the 2025/26 season due to injury, Wirtz remained fit but found himself frequently criticized during his transition year on Merseyside. Yet, despite the growing pains, former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp believes his fellow German has already flashed the world-class potential that justified his price tag.
Klopp: “He Has Everything You Need”
Speaking to BBC Sport this week, Klopp was quick to defend the young playmaker’s inaugural campaign in England.
“I think he has everything you need to be a standout player. I don’t want to put any pressure on the boy, stuff like that,” Klopp insisted. “Unlucky with injuries, besides that, I really think he showed already how good he can be in a difficult season, we all know that.”
Wirtz was a durable figure for the Reds, racking up 49 appearances across all competitions in the 2025/26 campaign. He registered seven goals and 10 assists overall, though his output dipped in domestic play, finding the back of the net just five times and assisting four in the Premier League
Slot predicts scouse stardom for the German
While that return wasn’t exactly what the Kop hierarchy expected for a nine-figure fee, Arne Slot mirrored Klopp’s patience before his own Anfield exit last month. The Dutchman is completely convinced that Wirtz is on the verge of exploding into life on the big stage.
“I don’t only hope that, I am 100% sure he will turn up [against top six teams],” Slot said. “We play three of those now so there are chances but it so clear the development in 10 months, it is clear and obvious. 93 mins vs Crystal Palace, wins a throw-in and then hits it in the top corner.
“I was not convinced he could do that 8 months ago. His improvement, he was already an elite player, has been for me obvious. It will only continue. He is 23 on Sunday. That makes sense, every player is at his best at 25/26, he can only become better. That is the beauty of the signings we made.”
ReadLiverpoolFC Verdict
Let’s be honest when you drop over £100m on a player, the modern football world expects immediate, Haaland-esque returns. Wirtz didn’t light up the Premier League instantly, and playing under the microscopic pressure of a transition year at Anfield didn’t help.
But look at the raw data and the backing he has. To make 49 appearances in the grueling English calendar shows a robustness we desperately needed, especially with Isak sidelined. Seventeen goal contributions in a “down” adaptation year is a luxury foundation, not a failure.
When both Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot—two of the finest tactical minds in the game publicly stake their reputations on a lad’s inevitable rise, you listen. That 93rd-minute winner against Palace Slot mentioned showed the exact kind of grit and localized magic required to succeed in L4.
Wirtz is nowhere near his prime. Under the right guidance next season, the German maestro is going to make a lot of doubters eat their words. The Kop will be singing his name in no time.
