Florian Wirtz acknowledges he is having difficulties at Liverpool but is working hard to improve the situation.
Florian Wirtz has addressed his less-than-expected beginning at Liverpool after joining for a massive £116 million fee.
The attacking midfielder has yet to score or assist in both the Premier League and Champions League.
In an interview with Sky Germany, the 22-year-old confessed: “Of course, I want to score goals or at least provide some assists. But no matter what anyone says, I remain calm.” Wirtz emphasized that no one has higher expectations than himself and expressed frustration at constantly being advised “to give it more time”. He said: “I just try to improve with every game I play.”
Wirtz was benched in the Merseyside derby and also missed the Carabao Cup win over Southampton. He insists he hasn't played badly, just lacks goals and assists to prove his worth.
He added: “Sometimes there are tough periods. I rarely experience this in my career. Once I get through it, everything will be fine. I believe sooner or later things will return to normal.”
Coach Arne Slot plans to give Wirtz more time to adapt and hopes he can form a good partnership with striker Alexander Isak, who is likely to start against Crystal Palace this weekend after Hugo Ekitike’s unfortunate red card.
Notably, Ekitike, despite being new, has already scored and made an impact, whereas Wirtz has yet to contribute significantly. This adds extra pressure on the German midfielder. Additionally, Slot is considering using him as a number 10 or experimenting with him on the left wing, as Dominik Szoboszlai has performed well behind the striker, and Cody Gakpo is currently criticized for inconsistent form.
Liverpool will visit Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace in the next Premier League round, followed by a challenging trip to Turkey to play Galatasaray in the Champions League. This is seen as an ideal opportunity for Wirtz to prove his value and meet the high expectations placed on him.