A major twist has emerged in the Florian Wirtz transfer saga, with reports now suggesting a surprising loan switch could take place in January
The Liverpool midfielder has struggled to hit top gear since his high-profile summer arrival.
Florian Wirtz is now being linked with a potential January loan exit after failing to make the desired impact in his early months at Anfield.
Liverpool made a huge statement in June by smashing the Premier League transfer record to sign the Bayer Leverkusen star for £116million. With such a hefty fee came massive expectations, but the 22-year-old has yet to deliver across his 16 appearances for the defending champions.
His underwhelming displays have already seen him drop out of Arne Slot’s starting XI, even though the Liverpool boss has urged supporters to remain patient.
Now, less than half a year after his switch to Merseyside, speculation is growing that Wirtz could be allowed to leave on loan when the January window opens.
Liverpool are tipped to be active in the winter market, with Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Crystal Palace skipper Marc Guehi — who narrowly missed out on a summer move — among the names heavily linked. However, reports also suggest the Reds may sanction some departures, and former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann believes Wirtz could be one of those considered for a temporary move.
Speaking to CoinPoker, Hamann said: “Could Florian Wirtz leave Liverpool on loan in January? Yes. Even with all the support from the club and the manager, when you sign someone for that kind of money, you expect him — even at his age — to turn it around.”
Hamann suggested the German youngster may lack the confidence right now to reverse his slump, which could make a loan appealing if the option arises.
He added: “From what I’ve seen lately, I’m not sure he can. At times he looks like he’s lost belief because of the Premier League. When he loses the ball, you wonder if the speed and physicality are making him think, ‘Maybe this isn’t for me.’
“I hope I’m wrong, but that’s how it appears. When a bad spell drags on too long, it becomes very hard to recover.”
Wirtz has missed Liverpool’s last two matches, but ahead of Sunday’s clash with West Ham, Slot confirmed the midfielder is nearing full fitness and could return to the squad this weekend.
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