Florian Wirtz has had a slow beginning to his career at Liverpool, but Gary Lineker has publicly backed the German midfielder to make an impact at Anfield. The former footballer expressed strong confidence that Wirtz will justify his record-breaking transfer fee and become a vital player for the team.
“He is really good at football,” said Lineker, insisting Wirtz’s past performances prove he has the ability to succeed.
The Reds began their summer transfer window with a major signing, bringing Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal valued at around £116 million. Despite arriving with high expectations, the 22-year-old has yet to score or assist in the Premier League and was left out of the starting lineup in Liverpool’s 2–0 victory over Aston Villa.
Both Lineker and Micah Richards remain confident the young playmaker will flourish under pressure. Richards, speaking on the Rest is Football podcast, noted that while Wirtz still needs time to adapt, the investment was justified.
“At the moment he is not up to speed for the Premier League, but they spent £100m on him — and it was absolutely the right decision,” said Richards.
Richards added that Liverpool have faced some losses in their squad and are still adjusting to the absence of key players such as Trent Alexander-Arnold.
“Liverpool now go back to what they did last season,” he concluded.
Lineker and Richards believe Florian Wirtz’s adaptation period is temporary and that his talent will ultimately make him a success at Liverpool despite early struggles.
Author’s Summary: Gary Lineker and Micah Richards express confidence that Florian Wirtz, despite his slow start, will soon showcase his quality and justify Liverpool’s record investment.