‘It’s No Secret’—Florian Wirtz Gives Verdict on Slow Liverpool Start

Florian Wirtz has admitted that struggling to find top gear since a record transfer to Liverpool in the summer is something he hasn’t experienced in his career before.

Liverpool agreed a £116 million ($156.8 million) package to sign Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen, which made him the most expensive player in British football history—that record was later broken by the £125 million deal that subsequently took Alexander Isak to Anfield.

But while fellow new arrival Hugo Ekitiké, who joined from Eintracht Frankurt, has swiftly adapted to the Premier League, Wirtz has found it tougher going. The 22-year-old is yet to score or assist in the Premier League or Champions League, having laid on a goal in the Community Shield, and was reduced to a substitute role for the weekend’s Merseyside derby against Everton.

“Of course I would have liked to have scored a goal,” Wirtz told Sky Sport Germany.

Florian Wirtz — Wirtz has big expectations on his shoulders. | Matt McNulty/Getty Images

“But no matter what anyone says, I’m staying cool. I know what I’m capable of, and I also know that I’ll really bring it to the pitch at some point, so I’m just staying cool.

“I don't want to hear: ‘Give it time, give it time.’ Instead, I simply try to do better each time than before. And sometimes there are phases where things might not go well for you; I haven’t had that very often in my career. Once I get through it—that’s perhaps harsh, because I’m not playing badly, I just haven’t got the [goals and assists] yet—it will come eventually, and then everything will be fine.

“It’s no secret that I’d like to have more so far, but I’m patient, and as I just said, I know full well that I can play football well. Sooner or later, I’m sure that will return to normal.”