Liverpool’s £29.5 million summer signing, Jeremie Frimpong, has publicly thrown his support behind teammate Florian Wirtz. Frimpong called Wirtz a “special player.” He’s confident Wirtz can find his best form at Anfield, despite recent criticism about his performances. This comes as discussions swirl around the German midfielder’s start to life on Merseyside, especially in the 2025-26 Premier League campaign.
Wirtz’s Early Liverpool Struggles
Wirtz arrived at Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for a whopping £116 million. He was meant to be a game-changer. But, he’s faced a pretty tough start. Critics are noting his inconsistent impact. Like, in that frustrating 0-0 draw against Leeds United. ESPN analysts haven’t held back. Craig Burley, for one, said Wirtz “is doing nothing for Liverpool.”
They’re pointing out struggles in getting the ball to him in dangerous areas. And when he’s played wide, he just isn’t effective enough. It’s a bit of a head-scratcher, really.
“He’s my boy. He’s a winner – a very, very special player and very hard working. The league will love him. I won’t have to talk much, just watch him. He doesn’t crumble under pressure, he likes pressure. He’s a guy that makes you enjoy football with the way he plays.”
– Jeremie Frimpong on Florian Wirtz
Frimpong’s endorsement feels important. He knows Wirtz well from their time together at Leverkusen. He seems to think Wirtz thrives under pressure, not wilts. That’s a good sign, you know?
German Football Association sporting director Rudi Völler also weighed in on Wirtz’s struggles. He thinks it’s more about how the team plays. Not just Wirtz himself. Völler was Leverkusen’s sporting director for ages. He knows the player pretty well.
“The big difference is: at Bayer Leverkusen, despite the individual quality of the other players, he was always looked for. Players like Granit Xhaka, Alejandro Grimaldo or Robert Andrich certainly ran the game. But the moment Florian made himself available, he always got the ball. Even as a young guy, he was already the chief.”
– Rudi Völler
Völler has watched Liverpool games. He says Wirtz works hard. He runs a lot and makes sprints. But he’s just not getting the ball like he used to. His touch count per 90 minutes has dropped. It went from 80.3 in the Bundesliga last season to 59.1 in the Premier League. That’s a big drop. Völler is backing Wirtz to find his rhythm, though. He’s “extraordinary” and will “assert himself,” apparently.
Wirtz: From Bundesliga Phenom to Anfield Hope
Wirtz’s background paints a picture of a generational talent. He came through the youth ranks at Cologne. Then made a somewhat controversial move to Leverkusen. He made his Bundesliga debut at just 17. He then became the youngest goalscorer in Bundesliga history. He truly exploded in the 2023-24 season. He got 11 goals and 11 assists. That helped Leverkusen win their first top-flight title, going unbeaten. He was even named the Bundesliga Player of the Season. He pretty much picked up where he left off in 2024-25. He had 10 goals and 12 assists. Just incredible numbers.
Liverpool clearly saw something special. They tracked him since his Cologne days, according to talkSPORT. They had to fight off Bayern Munich and Manchester City for his signature. Liverpool manager Arne Slot reportedly laid out a clear plan. He wanted to build the attack around Wirtz. He’s seen as the player to revitalize the No.10 role at Anfield. A role they haven’t really filled since Philippe Coutinho.
Wirtz is pretty unique. Bundesliga expert Kevin Hatchard described him as someone who “will press like a demon.” But it’s very targeted pressing. He understands the angles. He’s not just running around like a madman.
His dribbling stats are pretty impressive too. He leads the Bundesliga in completed dribbles for 2024/25.
| Dribbles Completed Bundesliga 2024/25 | |
|---|---|
| Florian Wirtz | 83 |
| Jamie Gittens | 77 |
| Jamal Musiala | 72 |
| Michael Olise | 72 |
He’s also making a ton of passes in the attacking third. Only Man City’s Jeremy Doku has attempted more across Europe’s ‘big four’ leagues this season.
Tactical Headaches for Arne Slot
Liverpool are currently sitting fourth in the Premier League after 19 games. They’ve been on an eight-match unbeaten run. But Arne Slot has called the season a “constant battle.” They’ve had many close results. And there are clear frustrations in attack, according to ESPN. Slot feels their position reflects their performances. They’re 12 points behind leaders Arsenal and six behind Aston Villa in third.
Tactically, there are issues. Wide play has been restricted. Wirtz, apparently, performs best closer to goal. He’s not really a player to hold width. This clashes a bit with how Liverpool has tried to use him. If Völler is right, Slot needs to adjust. He needs to make Wirtz the central figure in getting the ball. Like he was at Leverkusen under Xabi Alonso.
Alonso himself is a massive fan of Wirtz. He called him “one of the top players in the world.” He’s “world-class.” And Slot is counting on that talent. He wants to build the team’s future attack around Wirtz.
Frimpong’s Own Big Shoes to Fill
Frimpong himself is settling into Anfield. He signed for £29.5 million. He’s the likely replacement for Trent Alexander-Arnold. Trent left for Real Madrid this summer. That’s a massive void to fill, obviously. But Frimpong is relishing the challenge. He’s a “winner,” he says. He’s confident he can perform. He grew up in Manchester, so coming back to the Premier League was always the plan.
His arrival, alongside Wirtz, was part of nearly £150m spent by Liverpool’s owners. They wanted to keep the good vibes going. Frimpong believes in himself. And he clearly believes in Wirtz too. That shared history from Leverkusen could be key. These two know how to win together. And Liverpool fans will be hoping they can replicate that success at Anfield soon.
Soureesh Datta 
Tanya Singh 
Govind Singh