Wayne Rooney Delivers Brutal Verdict on Major Liverpool Signing's Future
Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney has raised concerns about Liverpool's acquisition of Florian Wirtz, expressing doubts about how the player integrates into Arne Slot's tactical setup.
The German midfielder became Liverpool's most expensive signing at £116 million from Bayer Leverkusen—with £100 million upfront and £16 million in performance bonuses—though this record was quickly surpassed when the current Premier League titleholders spent £125 million on Newcastle United's Alexander Isak just weeks afterward.
Wirtz has experienced a challenging beginning at Anfield, even as Liverpool has maintained a strong seasonal start, managing only one assist during the Community Shield loss to Crystal Palace. He found himself on the substitutes' bench for the tight 2–1 victory against Everton in the latest Merseyside clash, and has recently acknowledged discussing his difficult English debut with Slot.
During his BBC program, Rooney expressed his view that Wirtz presently "disrupts Liverpool's equilibrium" and suggested that colleague Dominik Szoboszlai better suits Slot's tactical vision.
Rooney: I Don't See Where Wirtz Fits
"I believe he's performed adequately, but when you acquire numerous players as Liverpool has done, essentially rebuilding their entire attacking line while retaining Mo Salah, competition becomes fierce," Rooney commented.
"Wirtz appears to be struggling the most among them. He possesses tremendous talent, but I can't identify his role in the squad. The investment was substantial, and I believe Wirtz actually upsets Liverpool's playing harmony. However, he's an exceptional talent who will undoubtedly improve. Still, his beginning has been sluggish, which is undeniable."
He added: "I've witnessed players enter this league requiring adjustment time. For me, it's neither about the transfer fee nor his capabilities. I simply don't understand his place in Liverpool's system.
"Is he a deep-lying midfielder? I don't think so—he's more suited to attacking roles. Given a choice between him and Szoboszlai, I'd select Szoboszlai."
Szoboszlai's Shift to Accommodate Wirtz
Szoboszlai featured in 36 matches as an offensive midfielder during the previous campaign, recording 14 goal contributions (six strikes, eight assists). However, he's been displaced from his preferred playmaker position to make room for Wirtz, and has even been deployed at right-back this season due to Jeremie Frimpong's injury.
Despite this positional change, he delivered an exceptional performance against Arsenal from that role, netting the decisive goal with a spectacular free-kick.
Maximizing Wirtz's potential isn't Slot's sole tactical challenge—Isak's arrival, combined with Hugo Ekitiké's signing from Eintracht Frankfurt, presents the Dutch manager with the difficult task of providing both strikers adequate playing time. Ekitiké has suggested employing a two-striker formation—the French forward has impressed early in his Liverpool tenure despite an unnecessary red card for removing his shirt in the Carabao Cup, while Isak has yet to find his rhythm following a restricted pre-season at Newcastle.