Jurgen Klinsmann says he knows what Florian Wirtz will do at Liverpool, ‘I’m sure’

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Liverpool star Florian Wirtz has not had the best of starts to his career at Anfield after a once-Premier League record move from Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.

Arne Slot parted ways with £116million to land Wirtz from the German outfit, breaking the £115million British transfer record that Chelsea had paid Brighton for Moises Caicedo two years ago.

Although they then decimated their own record fee with a huge move for Alexander Isak on transfer deadline day, there is still a huge expectation for Wirtz to thrive in England after a solid number of years under ex-Liverpool legend Xabi Alonso.

The playmaker has not had the best start to life on Merseyside, though. Wirtz’s assist in the Community Shield vs Crystal Palace to preface the season was heralded, but he’s since failed to make a goal contribution in the first nine competitive games of his Liverpool career.

That has seen fans criticise him, especially amid Liverpool’s poor run of form that has seen them knocked off the top of the Premier League table.

But German legend Jurgen Klinsmann has no doubts that Wirtz will succeed, although acknowledging that it will take him some time.

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Jurgen Klinsmann believes Florian Wirtz will ‘deliver’ for Liverpool despite slow start

Florian Wirtz has shown glimpses of quality, despite his slow start. A clever backheel wasn’t capitalised upon by Mohamed Salah versus Chelsea last week, and there have been smart pieces of play that haven’t been rewarded.

It will take him time, given his age, moving to a new country and settling into a new team.

Klinsmann, another German who left for England, knows the trials and tribulations of moving to England after time spent at Tottenham Hotspur.

And despite acknowledging that Wirtz hasn’t had a great start to his Anfield career, he has no doubts that the German will come into his own in the future. Klinsmann said on ESPN: “I think it’s simply natural that a kid with 22 years of age, going to another country to a huge club, you know, with the package of a huge transfer fee will need some time.

“Florian needs some time there to settle in, to get to know the place, you know, to feel more comfortable every day.

“He will deliver. I have no doubt about it. This kid is extremely good. But it will take some time. So, we have to be patient for that.

“You know, some maybe do it differently like Woltemade has scored already four in seven, four goals in seven games at Newcastle. But I’m sure that Florian will not disappoint.”

Once Wirtz gets into a run of form, he may never look back given how vital he has been for Leverkusen and the German national team.

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Wirtz blossomed at Leverkusen, scoring 57 goals and registering 65 assists in just 197 games at the BayArena.

Even last season, he scored 16 and assisted 15 as Leverkusen finished second in the Bundesliga table with ease, including six Champions League goals.

We’ve seen it with players in the past where they have excelled in the Bundesliga, but failed to make the Premier League grade.

Timo Werner is arguably the biggest example, having failed to register similar numbers with Chelsea and Tottenham despite being a leading star at RB Leipzig.

But players such as Ilkay Gundogan, ex-Leverkusen man Kai Havertz and of course Erling Haaland have dispelled that myth.

At such a young age, Wirtz will be given time to improve and there is no doubting his talent. But the Premier League is an unforgiving division, and that will have to happen before Liverpool fans start to fret.