Former Liverpool player Markus Babbel defends Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz, explaining why the German star has struggled to adapt to the Premier League and why a “top-class” version is coming next season.
Liverpool made a statement of intent last summer by splashing a staggering £116 million on Florian Wirtz. Regarded as the marquee signing of the post-Klopp era, the former Bayer Leverkusen star was expected to be the catalyst for the Reds’ tactical evolution.
At such a mouthwatering price point, Wirtz was heralded not just as a creative addition, but as the foundational cornerstone of a new-look Liverpool. He was viewed as the visionary capable of placing the entire club on his back, tasked with orchestrating the Reds attack and providing the elite technical edge needed to maintain their status at the summit of European football.
However, as the “theatre of dreams” looms this Sunday, the weight of that price tag and the intensified physicality of the Premier League have turned that dream into a demanding transition.
While his talent remains undeniable, the expectation for Wirtz to instantly replicate his Bundesliga magic has met the harsh reality of a squad currently ravaged by injury and a league that, as Markus Babbel noted, shows “no respect” for even the most expensive reputations.
Instead, things haven’t been as smooth sailing for the wonder-kid, who has taken many months to adapt to life on Merseyside. He scored a sensational goal past Crystal Palace last weekend, though he’s not been able to bring as much quality or consistency as he would have hoped.
Drawing from his own past, former Liverpool defender Markus Babbel suggested that Wirtz’s current struggles are a rite of passage. Babbel reflected on the ‘culture shock’ he felt moving to England, explaining how those same adaptation issues are now manifesting in the young German’s debut season
In an interview with Get Football News Germany, he said, “It’s a different league. I had the same problem when I came to England. It’s a different sport. It’s faster”.
Liverpool head into this weekend’s clash with their arch-rivals knowing that Old Trafford is a notoriously volatile arena, where a single moment of individual brilliance often separates absolute ecstasy from bitter disappointment.
The Reds have proven they can be ruthless in this environment before; in September 2024, they issued a definitive statement of intent with a 3-0 demolition of Manchester United. That clinical performance served as the launchpad for Arne Slot’s title-winning debut campaign.
However, the landscape has shifted ahead of this latest trip With Luis Diaz now starring for Bayern Munich and Mohamed Salah sidelined with a hamstring injury, Slot must engineer a new blueprint to dismantle a United backline.
While the Red Devils have been leaky conceding more than any other side in the top 13 bar Bournemouth Liverpool’s depleted attack faces a significant test of character.
Wirtz needs to be the reason why the fans are bouncing around Manchester on Sunday evening.
The stakes are massive: a win would see Liverpool leapfrog United into third place, and get them back to the Champions League with three matches remaining.
Babbel understands Wirtz’s problems
Currently, the Reds sit in the final place for Champions League qualification, after failing to build any momentum following their Premier League title victory.
While Wirtz was recruited as a centre-piece of Liverpool’s new era, his arrival has yet to spark the dominance many at Anfield anticipated.
However, the German international is far from the only one struggling to meet expectations the friction within the squad this season appears to run much deeper.
As Markus Babbel was quick to point out, the Reds current malaise isn’t localised to one underperforming superstar.
Instead, a sense of dysfunction has permeated multiple levels of the club, suggesting that the unexpected truth behind Liverpool’s decline involves broader structural and tactical issues that have hampered the entire roster, not just their marquee £116 million man.
“It’s been a bit unlucky for him because at Liverpool, the whole team is struggling. I think in the statistics, he’s high in the standings for chances created, but because the team is underperforming… there’s an expectation.”
Kopites will have been over the moon to hear that Mohamed Salah will return to action before the season ends, but it delays the inevitable that the Egyptian will depart come the summer. Those shoes must be filled, and the German has to be high on that list.
The club are stepping into the unknown in all cases, but the the 53-year-old believes we are just seeing the beginning of the greatness from Germany’s next king.
“He can play better, but there’s been a big improvement from him, and he’s learnt a lot. And next season you’ll see a top-class Florian Wirtz.”
Liverpool aware ahead of the summer
There is much optimism that Anfield will get to witness more dazzling moments from Wirtz next year as he is fully embedded in the new culture and environment on Merseyside.
However, this leaves a question about new faces arriving in the summer, particularly the replacement for Salah. Not every player needs a period of adjustment, but with the Reds linked to Yan Diomande, another player from the Bundesliga, questions begin to flow.
They can’t afford another year of mediocrity, which has nearly cost them dearly. Diomande has shown his ability, but so did Wirtz, and we have yet to see a constant run of performances.
Next season will define whether Wirtz was the player Liverpool had dreams of signing, or whether he can’t match the intensity, raising deeper concerns.
