The story coming out of Germany about Florian Wirtz is both surprising and worrying for Liverpool fans. When the Reds broke the bank to sign him from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025, the deal was celebrated as one of the smartest and boldest moves of the transfer window. Wirtz was seen as one of the brightest young midfielders in the world, a creative force with magic in his boots, a player who could redefine Liverpool’s attacking play for years to come.
But just a few months after his record move, the headlines are not about brilliance, assists, or wonder goals. Instead, the talk in Germany is about a **“crisis.”** That word has been used by BILD and echoed across German football media after another disappointing display from Wirtz during the international break.
In Germany’s shocking 2-0 defeat to Slovakia, Wirtz walked off the pitch quietly, slipping out through a side door with his head down. He looked nothing like the confident, expressive player who once lit up the Bundesliga. Without Jamal Musiala in the team, Wirtz was supposed to step up and lead the German attack. Instead, he was described as “almost invisible.
This isn’t a one-off. Reports explain that the problem has been there for months. During the Nations League final four earlier this year, Wirtz was already struggling. Against Portugal, he scored but was hardly noticed for most of the game. Against France, he barely made an impact at all. Now, at Liverpool, the same issues seem to be showing.
At Anfield, fans expected fireworks. They thought Wirtz would arrive and instantly click with Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak, and Dominik Szoboszlai. They believed he would be the one to unlock stubborn defences with his vision and creativity. But the Premier League has not been kind to him so far. He looks like a player “not yet integrated” into Jürgen Klopp’s system. The intensity, speed, and physical battles of English football seem to be overwhelming him. This has led to one big question being asked both in Germany and in England: What’s going on with Florian Wirtz?
The narrative is striking because Wirtz was never supposed to struggle like this. He was seen as the next big German star, the natural successor to Mesut Özil’s elegance but with more energy, more aggression, and more drive. Liverpool fans dreamed of him being their new talisman in midfield, the man to carry them into a fresh era after losing legends like Jordan Henderson and, soon, Virgil van Dijk.
But instead of leading, he seems lost. Instead of inspiring, he seems overwhelmed. And instead of making headlines for brilliance, he’s making them for his struggles.
Still, there are important details to remember. Wirtz is only 22. He is moving from the Bundesliga to the Premier League, a league that has chewed up and spat out plenty of talented players before they adapted. Even legends like Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne took time before becoming stars in England. And Wirtz is also carrying the heavy pressure of a huge transfer fee, plus the expectation of being the future of both Liverpool and Germany.
For Liverpool, the situation is delicate. They know talent like Wirtz doesn’t disappear overnight. The ability is still there—the vision, the first touch, the intelligence. The real battle now is mental and physical: adapting to Klopp’s pressing demands, finding confidence in front of Anfield, and rediscovering the joy he had at Leverkusen.
In Germany, though, patience is running thin. Fans want leaders who can drag the team through tough games, and Wirtz has not done that yet. Against Slovakia, with Musiala missing, he had the perfect chance to shine but ended up being described as a ghost on the pitch.
So the crisis is real, but it is also early days. Liverpool bought Wirtz for the long term, not just for a few matches in September. But the questions will not stop until he starts producing. Right now, every game where he fades into the background adds fuel to the fire of doubt.
For Wirtz, the next few months will be career-defining. If he responds with resilience, fights through the struggles, and starts to impose himself in England, this early “crisis” will soon be forgotten. But if he continues to drift through games, if he continues to look invisible, then the whispers in Germany could become louder in England. And Liverpool’s dream signing could turn into one of their biggest concerns.
