Simon Jordan has branded Florian Wirtz “not fit for purpose”, but a different plan for the Liverpool midfielder is already being discussed. Wirtz has one assist in six appearances this season, and the scale of the fee, an initial £100million plus £16m in potential add-ons, is making every flat performance feel heavier.
Jordan's warning
Jordan's criticism is rooted in value as much as output. He said: “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?”
He also asked: “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.”
The numbers behind Wirtz's start are modest. He has five Premier League appearances for Liverpool this season, no Premier League goals and a 6.53 league rating.
Klopp's role idea
Paul Joyce reported a much more constructive reading of the situation. “It is understood that Klopp sees Wirtz as being most threatening when occupying the half space on the left side and, crucially, receiving the ball when he is facing the goal,” Joyce said.
Joyce added: “That was how he thrived at Bayer Leverkusen when linking closely to Granit Xhaka and Alex Grimaldo under head coach Xabi Alonso.” That is the part Liverpool will want to lean on if they are looking for a way through the early noise, because Wirtz has also played 430 minutes across his last five matches.
The patience case is not fanciful either. Liverpool remain unbeaten across all competitions this term, and their league record of two wins and three draws means the scrutiny on Wirtz is happening inside a side that has not yet tipped into crisis. The argument now is whether the left-half-space plan can produce enough to quiet the criticism, or whether the first few weeks have already pushed the discussion toward a harder conclusion.
FAQ
Is Florian Wirtz already a poor fit for Liverpool?
Simon Jordan says Wirtz is 'not fit for purpose' and points to the £100million-plus fee and Liverpool's books being around £70m in his view. But Paul Joyce reports a contrasting tactical idea, with Jurgen Klopp believing Wirtz can be most threatening from the left side when receiving the ball facing goal.
How could Klopp's role change help Florian Wirtz?
Joyce says Klopp sees Wirtz as most threatening in the left half space, receiving the ball while facing goal. He also says that was how Wirtz thrived at Bayer Leverkusen, linking closely to Granit Xhaka and Alex Grimaldo under Xabi Alonso.
Why is there so much pressure on Florian Wirtz at Liverpool?
He has one assist in six appearances this season, with no Premier League goals yet and a 6.53 league rating. Liverpool paid an initial £100million plus £16m in potential add-ons, so the start has been judged against a very high fee.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
