I’m not sure Liverpool fans needed to hear this right now.
Florian Wirtz has just produced one of his best performances of the season for Germany, scored a brilliant goal and reminded everybody why Liverpool spent so much money bringing him to Anfield.
And now Oliver Bierhoff has suggested that Barcelona could be the perfect place for him.
Brilliant.
Just what we needed.
The former Germany international and DFB chief has been discussing Wirtz’s future with Sport Bild and believes the Liverpool midfielder could thrive under Hansi Flick at Barcelona.
Bierhoff said he could see Wirtz being successful in other countries and added:
“I would see him being a good fit with Hansi Flick in Barcelona. There he has space, he has great footballing teammates.”
Now, before anybody starts panicking, there is nothing to suggest Barcelona are currently negotiating for Wirtz.
He’s under contract at Liverpool until 2030.
This is Bierhoff giving his opinion on where the German could potentially flourish.
But it’s still an interesting opinion.
And, if I’m honest, it also highlights something I’ve been saying for a while.
Maybe Wirtz just needs to be allowed to play
That’s the part of Bierhoff’s comments that interests me most.
Space.
That’s what he mentioned.
And we’ve seen exactly what happens when Wirtz gets freedom.
Look at what he did for Germany against Serbia.
He wasn’t hiding.
He wasn’t worrying about whether he was doing exactly what everybody expected.
He was involved.
He was creating.
He was taking risks.
He hit the post for Tom Bischof’s opening goal before scoring himself in Germany’s 2-0 victory. He also took the captain’s armband after half-time and was one of the outstanding players on the pitch.
And that is the Wirtz Liverpool supporters have been waiting to see.
The talent hasn’t disappeared.
It’s still there.
But Barcelona?
I’m not ready to go there.
Not remotely.
Liverpool didn’t spend a potential £116m on Wirtz to then give up on him after a difficult period.
And I certainly don’t think one excellent international performance suddenly means we should be talking about selling him.
He’s 23.
He’s adapting to English football.
He’s playing under a new manager.
Liverpool have changed their system.
And Wirtz is still trying to work out exactly how he fits into Iraola’s plans.
That’s a lot to deal with.
His first Liverpool season produced seven goals and ten assists in 49 appearances, while his start to this campaign has been quieter. Liverpool.com notes that he has just one assist in six club appearances this season.
So yes, I want more from him.
Of course I do.
But I’m nowhere near ready to write him off.
Bierhoff actually called him world class
There is another part of the interview that shouldn’t get lost.
Bierhoff didn’t say Wirtz should leave Liverpool because he’s not good enough.
Quite the opposite.
He described him as an “absolute world-class player”, while saying Wirtz now needs to prove that consistently with his performances on the pitch.
And I think that’s fair.
That’s exactly where I am with Wirtz.
I’m not questioning his ability.
I’m questioning whether Liverpool are consistently seeing the best version of it yet.
There is a massive difference.
And perhaps Barcelona isn’t the point at all
Maybe the Barcelona suggestion is actually useful because it makes us think about what Wirtz needs.
Space.
Technically gifted teammates.
Players moving around him.
A system that allows him to receive the ball in dangerous positions.
Freedom to create.
Those are all things Liverpool need to provide if they’re going to get the £100m-plus version of Wirtz we all expected.
And that’s where Iraola has a huge job on his hands.
The Liverpool manager has already made it clear that Wirtz is his genuine No.10.
Now we need to see Liverpool build an attack that gets the best from that decision.
Because I don’t want Wirtz leaving Anfield and suddenly becoming the player we always knew he could be somewhere else.
That would hurt.
I’ve still got faith in him
Maybe I’m being stubborn.
Maybe I’m too optimistic.
But I still believe Wirtz can become a huge player for Liverpool.
We’ve already seen flashes.
We’ve seen the creativity.
We’ve seen the technique.
We’ve seen the intelligence.
And now we’ve seen another reminder from Germany that the confidence and quality are still there.
Jürgen Klopp has also been impressed by Wirtz’s recent performances for Germany, saying after the Serbia victory that the way Germany wanted to play suited him and that the midfielder was “bursting with joy for the game”.
That’s what Liverpool need to find.
That joy.
That freedom.
That confidence.
That player who isn’t thinking about the price tag or what the next newspaper headline is going to say.
I don’t want Barcelona to get that version of Florian Wirtz.
I want Liverpool to.
So, Oliver Bierhoff, I understand what you’re saying.
Yes, I can see why you think Wirtz could thrive alongside Barcelona’s technical players under Hansi Flick.
But I’m not ready to entertain that possibility yet.
Liverpool have invested too much in Wirtz, and more importantly, I still believe there is a brilliant player waiting to explode at Anfield.
Germany have just given us another glimpse of him.
Now it’s up to Liverpool to bring that player out more often.
Because if Wirtz finally gets the space and freedom Bierhoff is talking about…
I think Liverpool could have something very special on their hands.
Jamie (The Kopite View)
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