Owen Hargreaves praises surprisingly underrated Liverpool star as one of Europe’s best
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Liverpool went all-in during the 2025 summer window, and one of their signings has started to make headlines. Owen Hargreaves reckons he is among the top players in Europe.Since his move from Eintracht Frankfurt, Hugo Ekitike has hit the ground running at Anfield, netting six goals in 15 appearances.On the other hand, Alexander Isak has had a tough stretch, but he is back in training ahead of the Manchester City clash.Meanwhile, Florian Wirtz – who cost Liverpool £116 million – has seen his performances come under scrutiny, though Hargreaves is full of praise for him.Owen Hargreaves backs Florian Wirtz following questions over Liverpool movePhoto by Ryan Pierse/Getty ImagesHargreaves, speaking to TNT Sports, said the German excels in regaining possession and playing against the ball, even if some doubters are not convinced just yet.“Was it more for these kind of half spaces, on the half turn I think he’s actually probably one of the best.“He’s getting some criticism, people think against the ball it’s not one of his strengths, but actually, he’s probably one of the best players in Europe, this is possession won in the final third.
In the Bundesliga he’s top and in Europe’s top five leagues he’s seventh,” Hargreaves continued.“He’s actually one of the best players at doing it. It’s just about finding his feet in this Liverpool starting XI.”Florian Wirtz’s role at Liverpool is starting to take shapeWirtz has been encouraged to stay patient and keep believing in himself following his move to Anfield.Even with some early criticism, he has had support from inside the club and from others in the game.Elsewhere, former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov called the German ‘unbelievable’ and backed him to come good.Against Real Madrid, Slot deployed Wirtz on the left, and this adjustment might finally be unlocking his best form.It was one of his best showings since joining the club, and this might be the role where he truly settles in.With Wirtz out wide, Liverpool’s midfield pressed more effectively against Los Blancos and managed a significant win.
They also got more value from their big-money signing than they had all season.READ MORE: Arne Slot points out key flaw Hugo Ekitike must fix to reach the next levelSlot has spoken about the German’s position ahead of the Manchester City match, saying he enjoys using him in different roles. For now, though, starting on the left wing seems to suit him better than playing as a central attacking midfielder.