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Florian Wirtz is reportedly running out of time to prove himself at Liverpool, with growing criticism surrounding the £116m signing following his difficult start at Anfield.
The German playmaker joined from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025 after Liverpool beat competition from Manchester City and Bayern Munich for his signature.
However, his performances have reportedly raised concerns, with a report by journalist Mark Brus for CaughtOffside describing the situation as “tense” and suggesting Liverpool could consider a sale if he fails to improve.
Wirtz under pressure to deliver
Wirtz has produced some of his better performances in the Champions League and for Germany, but has struggled to make the same impact consistently in the Premier League.
Questions have been raised about his ability to cope with the physical demands of English football, while critics believe he has found it difficult to influence matches when opponents defend deep and restrict the space available to him.
According to the CaughtOffside report, Liverpool are working to get the best out of the 23-year-old, but he needs to impress head coach Andoni Iraola to strengthen his position at the club.
The report also suggests Bayern Munich could be among the leading contenders if Liverpool and Wirtz eventually decide to part ways, with Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea also mentioned as possible interested clubs.
No departure has been confirmed, and the reported transfer possibilities remain speculative.
Laurens backs Wirtz to improve
Despite the concerns, European football expert Julien Laurens believes Wirtz could improve under Iraola, arguing that the midfielder needs greater freedom to express himself.
“Florian Wirtz needs a bit of freedom, like [Andoni] Iraola is giving him now this season with Liverpool,” Laurens said on Head 2 Head from the Clubhouse.
“I think we will see a completely different Florian Wirtz this season and Iraola has a system and philosophy that suits Wirtz far more [than Arne Slot].”