Klopp defends Wirtz after slow Liverpool start: 'He is a once in a century talent'

Martin Macdonald

• Updated: 13 Oct 2025 16:26 BST
• 2 min read

News

Former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has defended Florian Wirtz after the attacking midfielder's slow start to life at Anfield.

The Reds broke the Premier League transfer record in the summer to sign Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for an initial fee of £116 million (€133.7m), though they subsequently broke the record again to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle on transfer deadline day.

Wirtz has started the majority of Liverpool's matches so far this season but is yet to score a goal or register an assist, which has led to criticism from certain areas. He was dropped from the starting XI by manager Arne Slot for the last game before the international break - a 2-1 defeat by Chelsea.

There is no doubt in Klopp's mind that Wirtz will come good, however.

"His quality is so outstanding, the discussions are a bit exaggerated," he told n-tv.

"Liverpool just lost three games in a row, which is unusual.

"But that's also normal in life and that's why such things are discussed there.

"[Wirtz is] a once-in-a-century talent, and at some point he'll show that in every game again - just as he did at Leverkusen."

Nagelsmann throws support behind Wirtz

Germany national team head coach Julian Nagelsmann has also thrown support behind Wirtz during this difficult time for the player.

He told Sport 1: "Even though he hasn't scored any goals, he is still the player who creates the most chances in the Premier League.

"It's not his fault if his team-mates don't convert them, and the statistics don't even tell the whole story.

"Wirtz needs to get used to the league. I saw him playing with total freedom. He knows what he's capable of and how things work.

"He hasn't always had it easy -- he'll have to work hard now too."

Nagelsmann selected Wirtz from the start in Germany's recent 4-0 win against Luxembourg.

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