Liverpool fans are holding their breath: Is Florian Wirtz, the £116 million playmaker, becoming the club’s biggest transfer headache? Just when it seemed he might be finding his feet, news breaks that he’s sidelined again. Arne Slot, the Liverpool manager, has confirmed Wirtz will miss the crucial upcoming Premier League match against Nottingham Forest due to a frustrating muscle injury. This latest setback only adds fuel to the growing concerns about Wirtz’s ability to adapt to the relentless demands of English football. But here’s where it gets controversial… is it really just bad luck, or is there something more fundamentally amiss with this high-profile signing?
Slot revealed the news during his pre-match press conference, outlining the overall injury situation within the squad. It wasn’t just Wirtz; Conor Bradley, another valuable player, also sustained a muscle injury while on international duty. Slot anticipates Bradley being out of action for at least three weeks. This double blow could significantly impact Liverpool’s squad depth, especially considering Jeremie Frimpong’s ongoing absence due to a thigh injury – an injury picked up during Liverpool’s dominant 5-1 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt last month. The right-back position, in particular, is becoming a major concern. With Frimpong still recovering, and Bradley now joining him on the sidelines, Liverpool are left without a recognized senior right-back. Dominik Szoboszlai and Curtis Jones have previously filled in, but deploying them there feels like a temporary fix, not a long-term solution.
And this is the part most people miss: the cascading effect of injuries. When one position becomes vulnerable, it forces the manager to reshuffle, potentially weakening other areas of the team. While Slot didn’t provide a concrete return date for Wirtz, his comments suggested that the German international’s recovery period should be shorter than Bradley’s. There was a glimmer of good news, though: Alisson Becker, the dependable goalkeeper, is finally fit to start against Forest. This would be his first appearance since suffering a hamstring injury during the Reds’ defeat to Galatasaray back in September – a welcome boost for the team’s defensive stability.
Expanding on the injury updates, Slot clarified: “Both muscle issues. I don’t expect Conor to be part of the next 22 days…Maybe he returns towards the end of that period unless a miracle happens. Florian should be back sooner, it depends how things go but it should not be too long. Jeremie is out for a similar timeframe and probably will not be available for the next two or three weeks either. It will be interesting to see who plays at right back.”
Slot continued, highlighting the potential risks of overplaying players to cover for injuries: “Curtis Jones filled in there last season and Joe Gomez has played there as well, but he has only completed 90 minutes in 2025, so asking to play seven times in 22 days is a risk.” This highlights the delicate balancing act managers face when navigating injury crises – pushing players too hard can lead to further injuries and burnout.
Before this injury setback, Wirtz had a productive international break with Germany, who secured their place at next summer’s World Cup with victories over Slovakia and Luxembourg. During Germany’s commanding 6-0 win over Slovakia, Wirtz played a crucial role, delivering a pinpoint diagonal pass that set up Leroy Sane for the third goal. The enthusiastic celebration from his teammates afterward seemed to symbolize their support for Wirtz as he navigates the challenges of adapting to the Premier League. German national team coach Julian Nagelsmann has consistently defended Wirtz, stating, “We all know what he’s capable of, and it’s perfectly normal for a player of his age to go through a bit of a dip in form. We can’t expect him to perform at the same level for three years straight. Instead, we all need to support him a little bit so that he can clear his head here, and then maybe Liverpool could also help him out by scoring some of the chances he creates. That would be one idea, because he does not create few chances, it’s just that… they somehow don’t like to shoot the ball in, that’s also part of the truth.” This raises a crucial question: is Wirtz truly struggling to adapt, or are his teammates failing to capitalize on the opportunities he creates?
Nagelsmann’s support, however, hasn’t silenced the critics. Doubts persist about Wirtz’s ability to handle the Premier League’s physicality. Following Liverpool’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City, pundit Gary Neville described Wirtz as looking like a “little boy,” suggesting he’s not yet physically equipped for the league’s intensity. His perceived struggles to maintain consistent performance in the lower-tempo Champions League and World Cup qualifiers further fuel these concerns. While injuries are unfortunately common during congested periods, repeated niggling ailments could quickly become another reason to criticize Wirtz’s suitability for English football.
Bold prediction: If Slot’s estimated timeline proves accurate, Wirtz should be back in the Liverpool squad by the Champions League away game against Inter Milan on December 9th. But the big question remains: can he stay fit and finally silence his doubters? Or will these recurring injury problems continue to plague his Liverpool career? What do you think? Is Wirtz simply unlucky, or is there a deeper issue preventing him from reaching his full potential at Liverpool? Share your thoughts in the comments below!