Wirtz backing grows as Iraola, Gerrard and Carragher all weigh in
Florian Wirtz's early season at Liverpool has become the talk of the week, with the manager, former captain and ex-defender all addressing the German's form and prospects ahead of the Villarreal clash.
Andoni Iraola has been fielding constant questions on the matter, with the Liverpool Echo noting his pointed response - "You ask me every day" - as he gave his verdict on Wirtz while also discussing Victor Munoz and the likelihood of changes to his starting XI (Liverpool Echo). Liverpool.com similarly reports that Iraola has hinted at alterations for the Champions League tie with Villarreal while offering his latest assessment of the playmaker (Liverpool.com).
Steven Gerrard has been among the most vocal in Wirtz's corner. This Is Anfield reports that Gerrard sent a "clear" message urging people not to "give up on him" (This Is Anfield). The Liverpool Echo adds detail to this, saying Gerrard spoke his mind on both Wirtz and Bradley Barcola, pointing out that both have endured slow starts to their Liverpool careers but are now showing signs of improvement, with a message said to have been sent to Liverpool staff (Liverpool Echo). Separately, Liverpool.com reports Gerrard praising a "fantastic" Liverpool star who "hasn't had enough praise" this season, though it does not explicitly confirm that player is Wirtz (Liverpool.com).
Jamie Carragher has also shifted his stance. Liverpool.com reports that Carragher performed a "U-turn" on Wirtz following a "special" moment in the comeback win over Brentford, suggesting the pundit has grown more positive about the German's impact after that display (Liverpool.com).
There's an international dimension too, with TeamTalk reporting that Germany right-back Philipp Treu was left shocked by Wirtz after training alongside him in the national set-up, going as far as to say "you wonder" about his quality. However, the same report notes that Dietmar Hamann "does not seem to have high hopes" for Wirtz, showing not everyone shares the growing optimism (TeamTalk).
Taken together, the outlets paint a picture of a player under scrutiny but increasingly earning credit from senior voices at Liverpool, even as some, like Hamann, remain more sceptical.
Written with the help of AI, using the headlines from the publishers credited above. Each point links to the original report — tap the source name to read it in full.