Germany boss hints Liverpool’s Wirtz lacking fight after Slovakia loss
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Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has expressed strong support for Florian Wirtz despite the midfielder’s slow start at Liverpool following his high-profile summer transfer from Bayer Leverkusen.
Joining Liverpool for €125 million plus bonuses, Wirtz has yet to make a dominant impact in his first few matches. Nagelsmann acknowledged that Wirtz “has not been incredibly dominant” at his new club but emphasized that the adjustment to a new league, club, and culture takes time. He highlighted that Wirtz is part of a team constructed with significant investment, where individual brilliance can sometimes be less visible as the overall team system functions well.
“You have to look at the whole gang playing around him,” Nagelsmann said, noting that Liverpool’s quality squad and team structure explain much of Wirtz’s current integration period. The German coach remains confident that Wirtz will soon deliver impressive performances, scoring and assisting as he adapts fully to the Premier League environment.
Nagelsmann also made it clear there would be no leniency regarding Wirtz’s participation and contribution to the national team, indicating his intent to play Wirtz even if the midfielder faces injury challenges.
The transfer of Wirtz to Liverpool is part of a wider trend of top Bundesliga talents moving to the Premier League, with four of the five most expensive summer transfers involving German players. This market reality has created mixed feelings among German national players, such as captain Joshua Kimmich, who identified the allure of the financial resources available in England as a primary driver behind these transfers.
Overall, Nagelsmann’s message underscores patience and confidence in Wirtz’s potential to shine for both club and country as he settles into this new phase of his career.
PP