Jamie Carragher has floated a dream Florian Wirtz scenario: Jurgen Klopp sparking a turnaround with Germany before the Liverpool midfielder faces Manchester City. Vladimir Smicer has gone the other way on the noise around him, saying Liverpool should not be rushing to judge a player they signed in the summer of 2025 for an initial £100 million, with another £16m due in bonuses. Wirtz has only one Premier League assist from five appearances.

Carragher's Germany view

Carragher's line is tied to Germany's final two fixtures on October 1 and 4, when Wirtz is expected to be in the conversation again after being rested following a poor showing in Liverpool's 1-0 win over Bournemouth. His hope is simple enough: Klopp's presence with Germany gives Wirtz a chance to reset, produce goals and assists, and come back on a high.

That view leans on more than emotion. Wirtz has already logged 403 Premier League minutes, so the debate is not about a teenager drifting in and out of games. It is about what Liverpool get from those minutes. His league rating of 6.53 suggests he has not been a liability, but it also shows why the end product has become the focus.

Smicer's case for patience

Smicer is pushing the same broad message from a different angle. He said: "I don’t know if he is happy here but I believe he can still unlock something and still do well for Liverpool." He also added: "Some people are expecting a little too much from him, and I think some people are still seeing the fee that Liverpool paid for him rather than the player, and that’s the problem."

There is a fair point in that. Wirtz has one assist in five competitive appearances, but he has not been anonymous, and his last five league matches have brought one goal contribution. The issue is that Liverpool signed a player who was meant to add craft and final action, and the numbers have not matched that expectation yet.

Bayern München are still in the background too. Reports have them watching closely and ready to move if Michael Olise's situation pushes them into the market, which is why Wirtz's start at Liverpool is already being discussed beyond Merseyside. Carragher and Smicer, though, are both arguing against the rush to write him off.

If Wirtz gets the Germany window Carragher is imagining, Liverpool will revisit the question after October 4 with a lot more context than they have right now.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 6 outlets. How we work →