Conor Bradley's Verdict on Florian Wirtz Speaks Volumes as Liverpool Ace Lifts Lid on Huge Talent

Liverpool defender Conor Bradley has lavished praise on teammate Florian Wirtz, calling him a "terrific player" whose quality shines through in training despite a slow start at Anfield. Wirtz, Liverpool's marquee €132m signing from Bayer Leverkusen, finally broke his Premier League goal duck with a match-winning strike in a hard-fought 2-1 victory over bottom-of-the-table Wolves on Saturday.[1][2]

The German playmaker prodded home his first top-flight goal for the Reds after a pinpoint pass from Hugo Ekitike, putting Liverpool 2-0 up and securing three league wins in a row—four victories across all competitions. This came hot on the heels of Wirtz's second Premier League assist against Tottenham, where he set up Alexander Isak. After 15 goalless, assist-less appearances, Wirtz now boasts two goal involvements in his last two matches.[1][2]

Bradley, the Northern Ireland international, was thrilled for his teammate: "Obviously he's had to wait a little bit of time for it [the goal], but I was so happy for him. He's such a terrific player. We see it in training every day, how good he is with the ball." He added, "You'd rather have him on your team than not... You can just give him the ball in any area of the pitch, and he's able to do something with it."[1][2]

Wirtz's all-round display against Wolves was electric. He completed seven of nine dribbles—the most by a Liverpool player in a Premier League game since Ryan Gravenberch's seven against West Ham in April 2024. Only Iliman Ndiaye (nine vs. Liverpool) and Jeremy Doku (eight vs. Burnley) have managed more this season. Wirtz topped the pitch in chance creation (three), final-third passes (54), and won 11 of 15 duels, underlining his elite potential amid Liverpool's tumultuous 2025/26 campaign marked by tragedy, structural woes, and set-piece issues.[2]

Bradley emphasized Liverpool's luck: "His quality was never in doubt... We're lucky to have him. He's so important." Wirtz has taken responsibility for his earlier "poor form," adapting to the Premier League's pace and physicality. His breakthrough coincides with Arne Slot's side hitting form, signaling a bright future for the huge talent.[1][2]

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