Iraola's Blueprint: Unlocking Florian Wirtz's Full Potential at Liverpool

Liverpool boss Andoni Iraola has made it crystal clear that the Reds will "need a very good version" of Florian Wirtz if they are to enjoy greater success this campaign. A more defined role, the lessons of last year, and Iraola's coaching philosophy should all help the German playmaker unlock his true potential.

"I have big ambitions for next season," Wirtz confessed back in May, "because this season didn't go the way I wanted."

Brought in for what was then a club-record fee of $156 million (£116 million) last summer, the former Bayer Leverkusen maestro spectacularly failed to justify his hefty price tag. Wirtz didn't contribute a single Premier League assist before December and had to wait until the festive period to score his first competitive goal for the club. Despite a brief spell of form around the new year, the 23-year-old ultimately suffered a deeply frustrating debut season.

Wirtz was far from the only one to disappoint on Merseyside. Liverpool as a whole failed to build on their 2024–25 title win so badly that manager Arne Slot was shown the door and replaced by Iraola this summer. While supporters will be excited about potential new signings, the Basque tactician is focused on unlocking a talent that once made him the most expensive British transfer in history.

More Settled Position for Wirtz

Iraola's initial plan is straightforward: deploy Wirtz in his natural position. The gifted attacking midfielder did his finest work—virtually all of it—for Leverkusen in that central No. 10 role. Slot regularly played the playmaker out wide last season in an attempt to fit Dominik Szoboszlai into the lineup while also shielding his slight new signing from the physical demands of Premier League midfields. Germany took a similar approach at this summer's World Cup, but Iraola has different ideas.

"We need a very good version of Florian," the new head coach cautioned ahead of Liverpool's preseason fixture against Leeds United. "We know what he's capable of. I think he also fits well into our style of play.

"I see him more likely in that position just behind the striker. We know he's played for Germany more on the left at times. But I think we're going to begin working with him in that role behind the striker."

Wirtz Is a No. 10

Stats via Transfermarkt.

This has evidently been central to Iraola's thinking throughout the summer, even though Wirtz has yet to feature. With the World Cup participant unavailable for the matches against Sunderland and Wrexham, Iraola could easily have slotted Szoboszlai into the No. 10 role that served him so well last term. Instead, the dynamic Hungarian was deployed in one of the deeper positions in his new manager's preferred 4-2-3-1, keeping that attacking midfield berth open for when Wirtz returns to take over from Harvey Elliott.

Restoring Wirtz to his best position could also be the key to addressing one of his biggest struggles from last season.

What Went Wrong for Florian Wirtz in Debut Liverpool Season?

Every player has a distinct style. Manchester City's clinical striker Erling Haaland takes pride in how rarely he touches the ball. "My dream is to touch the ball five times and score five goals," he quipped during his first Premier League season. "That's my biggest dream."

Yet for a high-volume operator like Wirtz—someone who needs multiple opportunities to break down a stubborn defense—quantity is the path to quality. At Liverpool last season, he simply wasn't involved enough with the ball.

Wirtz averaged roughly 16 fewer touches per 90 minutes in 2025–26 compared to his final campaign at Leverkusen. He attempted half as many dribbles and two-thirds as many shots. Slot's decision to use the slight midfielder on the flank naturally reduced his involvement, while there was also a physical adaptation required to his new, far more demanding environment.

Stats via FotMob.

Wirtz also had to share the spotlight at Liverpool. The Leverkusen academy product had become the undisputed star of his side by the time he departed the Bundesliga, frequently the primary source of any meaningful attacking threat. Liverpool were never going to lean so heavily on a slender new recruit, particularly with a living club icon in Mohamed Salah still relentlessly demanding the ball from his station on the opposite flank.

Salah's departure is yet another advantage for both Iraola and Wirtz, who could also flourish within the manager's core footballing philosophy.

Iraola's Track Record Offers Wirtz Hope

Like any creative player, Wirtz is a risk-taker. Pass accuracy is a meaningless metric for a player who is constantly attempting to thread the needle. The success rate matters far less than the total number of breakthroughs achieved. In Iraola's system, surrendering possession also carries its own reward.

During his time at Bournemouth and Rayo Vallecano, both clubs excelled at pressing the ball aggressively high up the field. Liverpool will adopt the same approach and face far fewer opponents willing to play through such intense pressure. The Reds must capitalize on the transitional moments they inadvertently generate by giving the ball away.

Iraola thrives on harnessing that unpredictability. "It's a matter of how much you want to risk the ball," the former Cherries manager explained during his time on the south coast. "I tell players whenever you win it back, your first look has to be not even to the No. 9, but the keeper. Can you score?" This direct, vertical approach is a trait that should suit Wirtz perfectly, given he has always been at his most dangerous in transition.