Florian Wirtz entered his second season at Liverpool with much greater pressure than a year ago. This is not only a story about the performance of the German midfielder himself, but also related to the attraction of the Premier League to talents possessing top world techniques.
Liverpool once had to compete with Bayern Munich to get Wirtz and spent a very large fee on this deal. However, his first season at Anfield did not go as expected. Wirtz had many delicate touches but did not create a corresponding impact with the transfer price.
What makes the story worthwhile is that Wirtz joined the "Reds" at a time when English football increasingly values strength, speed and set pieces. If a technically gifted player like Wirtz cannot shine, the attractiveness of the Premier League to the group of players with the same style may also be affected.
Developments from the 2026 World Cup further raise questions about the current attraction of the tournament. Among the 14 attacking players starting in the semi-finals, only Morgan Rogers is playing for a Premier League club. Stars like Kylian Mbappe, Michael Olise or Harry Kane are all playing in other leagues.
Kane and Olise's case is an example that the Premier League must pay attention to. Both have improved their performances after moving to Bayern Munich. That success may make other strikers consider choosing Bundesliga or La Liga instead of coming to England.
Therefore, Wirtz will become an important case. If he finds his best form at Liverpool, this deal could become an affirmation of the attractiveness of the Premier League. Conversely, another disappointing campaign will further raise questions about the adaptability of technical players in the league.
The biggest problem with Wirtz lies in the way Liverpool uses him. Last season, arranging the German midfielder in the center of the midfield made Liverpool lack balance. Liverpool is easily exploited by opponents when losing the ball, making many matches a tug-of-war for speed and ability to switch states.
Arne Slot then had to adjust. Alexis Mac Allister or Dominik Szoboszlai were pushed up to increase pressing ability, while Wirtz gradually moved to the left wing. Szoboszlai, with a good physical foundation, became an important link in Liverpool's way of balancing the squad.
Iraola is trying a different direction. In the pre-season period, Wirtz was brought back to the number 10 position and began to create a connection with Alexander Isak. This is a positive sign, but the problems in Liverpool's defense have not been completely resolved.
If Wirtz continues to face difficulties when the season officially begins, Iraola may face a difficult choice: maintain the operating method to promote the German midfielder's creativity or switch to a more pragmatic option to ensure balance.
What is worrying is that The Kop currently owns many wingers. If Iraola has to adjust the squad and move Wirtz to the left wing, the position he usually holds in the German national team, the role of the £115 million contract will be questioned again.
Liverpool is also pursuing Bradley Barcola of Paris Saint-Germain despite having many options on the left flank. Meanwhile, Rio Ngumoha is emerging in this position. These developments make Wirtz's position competition even more complicated.
