Florian Wirtz has confessed he is still adjusting to life in the Premier League after making an underwhelming start to his Liverpool career.
The Reds broke the British transfer record to bring Wirtz over from Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £116 million ($156.6 million)—a record they shattered months later with the £125 million acquisition of Alexander Isak—but fans are still awaiting a statement showing from their new midfielder after quiet outings against Bournemouth, Newcastle United and Arsenal.
The pressure on Wirtz ramped up during the international break as he was slammed by German media for his role in a 2–0 defeat to Slovakia, but he responded with a glorious strike to cap off a 3–1 win over Northern Ireland on Sunday.
Wirtz celebrated by pointing to his ear, appearing to send a message to his critics. After the game, RTL asked the 22-year-old whether the pressure of such a big move to the Premier League had taken its toll on him.
“It’s another league, another type of football,” Wirtz said of his slow start. “I’m happy to be there.”
Asked if he believes he will open his account for Liverpool soon, Wirtz added: “I have no idea when I’ll score my first goal, hopefully in the next game, but it will come at some point.”
Wirtz struggled out on the left of Germany’s attack against Slovakia but was deployed in a more familiar attacking midfield role against Northern Ireland. On top of his excellent strike, Wirtz managed to create a game-high three chances and won more fouls than any other player on the pitch.
He will hope to take up a similar role when Liverpool return to Premier League action away at Burnley at the weekend, in what will be his fifth appearance in a Reds shirt.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘I Have No Idea’—Florian Wirtz Makes Honest Admission After Slow Liverpool Start.