Jamie Carragher has sharpened the spotlight on Florian Wirtz after Liverpool’s 1-0 win at Bournemouth, saying the £116m summer signing would not be in his Liverpool team.
The former Liverpool defender’s criticism came after what he called one of the poorest performances he had seen from Wirtz in a Liverpool shirt. It was the latest twist in a start to life at Anfield that has already prompted debate about how long supporters should wait before asking difficult questions of big-money arrivals.
A difficult start to Liverpool life
Wirtz joined Liverpool in the summer of 2025 after starring for Bayer Leverkusen and Germany, arriving as one of the hottest young talents in world football. The expectation was obvious: he was not signed to blend in, but to help Liverpool push for major trophies.
That is why Carragher’s comments land so heavily. He said: “The reason I worry is, I don’t think Wirtz is in poor form since he came to Liverpool. I think what we’re seeing is what he is,” before adding that the gap between what Liverpool expected and what he has shown so far may simply be too large.
Carragher also said: “Where we were expecting him was to take Liverpool to another league title, to take Liverpool to a Champions League.” He then added: “The gap he’s got to close to justify what people were expecting I almost think is too big.”
His bluntest verdict was even clearer: “Wirtz would not be in my Liverpool team.”
What happened against Bournemouth
Against Bournemouth, Wirtz struggled to impose himself for long stretches. Andoni Iraola said, “He started the game slowly.” He also noted that the game changed after the opening phase, adding that Wirtz helped Liverpool improve as the match went on.
Iraola said: “After that first phase, we improved. Florian has helped us also to improve. Second half he was playing much better, he was finding better spots to receive and turn. I’m much more happy with his second half.”
Even with that late improvement, the overall view from Carragher was harsh. He described it as “one of the poorest I’ve ever seen him in a Liverpool shirt,” underlining how quickly the conversation around the German has shifted.
The numbers behind the debate
Through six games, Wirtz has one assist. In the Bournemouth match, he completed 26 of 37 attempted passes, a success rate of 70.3%. He also won six of his eight duels and had three chances.
Those figures do not tell the whole story, but they help explain why the discussion has become so pointed. Liverpool have paid a huge fee for a player who was supposed to change games, not simply participate in them.
The wider context matters too. Liverpool also signed Alexander Isak for a nine-figure fee, and he has since scored four times in his last four league appearances. That contrast only heightens the scrutiny on Wirtz, whose influence has been far more modest so far.
Carragher’s wider warning is as much about expectation as form. He said the worry is that even if Wirtz improves a little, “it’s still not what Liverpool thought they were getting.” For a club trying to judge a major summer investment, that is the kind of assessment that turns every quiet performance into a bigger story.
