Did Liverpool’s £100m star choose the wrong club?

November 7, 2025 Oliver Obel

Leverkusen CEO Fernando Carro believes things could have turned out very differently if Xabi Alonso had carried more weight in Madrid.

“Florian would have definitely joined Real Madrid if Xabi had asked him,” Carro told Sport1. “But Xabi has less say there than he did with us. At Madrid, Florentino Pérez decides transfers—not Alonso.”

With the Bernabéu option off the table, Wirtz had three major suitors left: Manchester City, Bayern Munich, and Liverpool. He eventually chose Anfield, swayed by Arne Slot’s plans for him and the energy around the club after their record-equalling 20th league title in May.

“I just wanted to be a part of this team,” Wirtz told Liverpool’s official website, recalling his first visit to Melwood.

Slot’s grand plan—put on hold

Slot sold Wirtz on a central, creative role behind the striker—a classic No.10 in Liverpool’s attack. At Bayern, he would have competed with Jamal Musiala; in Merseyside, he was supposed to be indispensable. But football rarely sticks to the script.

After starting Liverpool’s first four league games, Wirtz struggled to find his rhythm in the Premier League’s faster, more physical tempo. As results dipped, so did patience. Some pundits wondered whether Slot’s system could accommodate him at all.

On his BBC podcast, Wayne Rooney suggested the German’s arrival “damaged the balance” of Liverpool’s midfield. “He’s a top player,” Rooney added, “but I don’t see where he fits in that 4-3-3 system.”

Szoboszlai steps into the spotlight

Ironically, the player Wirtz was meant to replace—Dominik Szoboszlai—has become Liverpool’s standout performer. Criticized last season for inconsistent output, the Hungarian has responded with two goals and four assists already, including a stunning free-kick winner against Arsenal.

That resurgence has forced Slot to revert to his title-winning trio of Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, and Alexis Mac Allister. With Manchester City visiting Anfield this weekend, the question lingers: does Wirtz even make Liverpool’s strongest XI right now?

The City move that never was

Before signing for Liverpool, Wirtz was also firmly on Pep Guardiola’s radar. Multiple reports from Bild and The Athletic suggested City viewed him as the ideal heir to Kevin De Bruyne, whose contract expired in 2025.

But depending on who you ask, the deal fell through either because City balked at Leverkusen’s £100 million asking price—or because Wirtz wanted clarity on Guardiola’s future beyond 2027.

In hindsight, it’s a decision that might sting. Rayan Cherki, City’s eventual choice for a third of that fee, has already produced eight goal contributions despite a brief injury layoff. Liverpool, who reportedly saw Cherki as a backup target, can only watch as the Frenchman thrives in the role Wirtz might have filled.

It’s not all about goals

Not everyone is ready to write him off. Former City and Germany midfielder Ilkay Gündogan told Bild that critics are missing the bigger picture.

“It’s not Flo’s fault he cost so much,” he said. “Anyone who doesn’t see his quality doesn’t understand football.”

Ex-Liverpool player Danny Murphy made a similar point on GOAL, arguing Wirtz has been unlucky rather than ineffective. “He’s created plenty of chances that haven’t been finished. If a few of those go in, the story is completely different.”

The numbers back them up. In the Champions League, no player has created more chances than Wirtz (16), and he was superb in Liverpool’s midweek win over Real Madrid—leading in both key passes and recoveries in the final third. It’s a glimpse of the player Liverpool thought they were signing.

Time and trust

Still, his omission from Liverpool’s best Premier League performances—against Everton and Aston Villa—shows there’s work to do. Slot has repeatedly emphasized that Wirtz needs time to adapt to England’s intensity and physical demands.

Those who know him best share that belief. Former Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso told reporters this week it’s “just a matter of time” before Wirtz thrives at Anfield.

Dimitar Berbatov was even more emphatic on Rio Ferdinand’s Vibe with Five podcast:
“He will be unbelievable, trust me. His touch, vision, and positioning are world-class. Just give him time.”

Waiting for lift-off

For now, Wirtz remains Liverpool’s £100 million question mark—a gifted playmaker caught between adaptation and expectation. But his influence in Europe is growing, and those who’ve watched his rise before see the same spark flickering beneath the surface.

Liverpool fans have seen this before: a slow start, then brilliance. The goals and assists will come. Maybe not tomorrow, maybe not against City—but soon enough, Florian Wirtz will remind everyone why he was Europe’s most wanted teenager.

Sources: Sport1, BBC, Bild, The Athletic, GOAL, Getty Images, AFP.