Florian Wirtz has admitted that it “might take a few more games” for him to adapt and score for Liverpool, after netting a brilliant free-kick for Germany.
Florian Wirtz admits Premier League is “different kind of football”
While we have seen glimpses of Wirtz’s fantastic awareness and remarkable technical ability, he hasn’t yet set the Premier League alight with his talent.
He did, though, figure prominently for Germany on Sunday night, as he scored a long-range free-kick in a 3-1 win over Conor Bradley‘s Northern Ireland.
Following the game, when asked by broadcaster RTL (h/t GGFN) about when he hopes to score his first goal for Liverpool, Wirtz replied: “It might take a few more games.
“It’s a different league, a different kind of football.
“When will I score for the first time? I have no idea, hopefully in the next game. It will come eventually.”
Wirtz has every reason to remain confident in himself. He is just 22 years old and has plenty of time to develop.
While Liverpool will want their £116 million signing to progress significantly in the coming months, it must be acknowledged that he is not yet the finished article.
Today’s Liverpool FC News
• Virgil van Dijk has had the main stand named after him at Sportpark Prinsenhoeve, where Willem II’s youth team play – it was great that the captain could be present for the occasion, too
• Liverpool have confirmed the appointment of new head of loan management Gary Probert – he joins from Ipswich where he was director of football operations for nearly four years
• Hugo Ekitike has said Alexander Isak will provide “tough competition,” but he expected “to be competing with the best players” when signing for Liverpool anyway – a good attitude, Hugo!
More from This Is Anfield
Jason McAteer lived the dream playing for Liverpool, but he was forced to turn down idol Kenny Dalglish in order to do so! Joel Richards interviewed the former Reds right-wing back:
“I was having talks with Blackburn. I was literally in the room with Kenny when Liverpool rang my agent and he said they’d agreed the fee, I’m free to go and talk to Liverpool if I don’t sign for Blackburn,” said McAteer.
“I mean, Kenny was my hero, but Liverpool was my team that I supported. So, I had an emotional attachment to both, but I wanted to be Kenny at Liverpool. I didn’t want to play for Kenny at Blackburn.”
READ: ‘I turned down Dalglish to sign for Liverpool – I didn’t care about wages, it was my club!’
Elsewhere in the football world today
• Man City and the Premier League have reached a settlement in their dispute over the rules governing associated party transactions (APTs) – read more here
• Athletic Bilbao defender Yeray Alvarez has been banned until April 2, after taking a banned substance found in a medicine used to prevent hair loss following his cancer treatment (BBC Sport)
• Former Denmark manager Kasper Hjulmand has been appointed as Bayer Leverkusen‘s new manager, replacing Erik ten Hag who lasted just three games in the job
Monday night internationals
Liverpool could have as many as four internationals involved on Monday night, Andy Robertson, Kostas Tsimikas, Giovanni Leoni and Alexander Isak‘s nations all play.
Scotland’s World Cup qualifying away match, against Belarus, is to be broadcast on BBC Scotland and BBC Three, while Leoni’s match with Italy will be shown on Amazon Prime.
The Italians are in Hungary to face Israel, while Tsimikas’ Greece are in action at home to Denmark – this match is also on Amazon Prime.
Isak could feature from the bench for Sweden against Kosovo, but the game isn’t being broadcast on UK television.
All these matches kick off at 7.45pm (BST).