Jurgen Klopp has no concerns over “once-in-a-century talent” Florian Wirtz finding his feet at Liverpool, who the legendary manager admits are in an “unusual” run of form.
Speaking to German outlet sport.de this week, Klopp gave his honest verdict on Wirtz’s start to life at his former club.
“His quality is so outstanding. The discussions are a bit exaggerated,” he explained at a padel tournament in Mallorca.
“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.
“Now I’ve been in the middle of such discussions long enough and can say: nothing could interest people there less than the public discussions.
“[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.”
With the 22-year-old yet to score or assist in the Premier League or Champions League there is understandable scrutiny after his £116 million switch.
But Klopp’s comments mirror the wider belief in Germany that Wirtz is too talented a player, already so accomplished over five-and-a-half seasons at Bayer Leverkusen, not to eventually thrive at Liverpool.
It has been accepted that moving from the Bundesliga to the Premier League can bring a longer adjustment period – particularly for a player leaving his home country for the first time.
But there is a sense that, when things click, the No. 7 will be one of Liverpool’s most important players, particularly if Arne Slot finds the right role for him in his new system.
The immediate impact of Hugo Ekitike has arguably added more pressure on the likes of Wirtz and Alexander Isak to match expectations.
However the process is not exactly linear and there are many variables – not least, as Klopp points out, Liverpool’s current struggle for form.
Klopp is after all well placed to comment not only on Liverpool’s overall form but also that of individual players.
During his nine years in the dugout at Anfield he saw a number of new signings adapt slowly before establishing themselves as key to the Reds’ success.
Fabinho and Andy Robertson are chief among those, while Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain experienced a similar trajectory only to be held back by repeated injuries.
There is clearly a confidence that Wirtz can be become at least as influential as the likes of Robertson and Fabinho, with those in Germany able to assess his start with more patience than many Liverpool supporters.
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