Alan Shearer Doubts Liverpool Have Seen the Best of Florian Wirtz Yet
Former England captain Alan Shearer has questioned whether Liverpool will ever get to see Florian Wirtz at his very best, suggesting the intensity and pace of Premier League football may be limiting the midfielder.
Wirtz joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in June 2025 in a deal worth an initial £100 million, with another £16 million potentially payable through add-ons.
The Germany international has produced flashes of his undeniable quality since arriving at Anfield, but he is still searching for a consistent run of performances that would justify the huge expectations surrounding his transfer fee.
Shearer believes Wirtz has found it difficult to get the time and space on the ball that he enjoyed in Germany.
“We’re still waiting to see the best of Florian Wirtz. We’ve seen glimpses of it, but we haven’t seen him put together a consistent run that makes you think, ‘Wow, now we can see why Liverpool paid so much for him.’
“Whether we’ll eventually see that version of him remains uncertain. I’m not sure.
“The Premier League can be so intense that you simply don’t always get the time to do what you want with the ball,” Shearer explained.
Despite the criticism, Wirtz remains highly regarded at Liverpool, with supporters hoping he can adapt fully to the demands of English football and eventually show the form that made him one of Europe’s most exciting young talents.
