Liverpool Facing Florian Wirtz Conundrum After Emile Heskey Verdict

Liverpool invested £116million to bring Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, expecting instant invention from one of Europe’s most exciting playmakers. Instead, the 22-year-old has endured a subdued introduction to life at Anfield. Across nine Premier League and Champions League outings, he has yet to score or assist. His omission from the starting line-up against Chelsea before the international break highlighted growing scrutiny over his role.

Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey believes patience is required but acknowledges that the price tag is weighing on Wirtz’s shoulders.

“No matter how much a team spends on a player, they’re still going to need a little period of bedding in and it might be longer for some than others,” he told Pundit Arena. “When you look at Luis Suarez, he hit the ground running.

“But not every player’s like that. Wirtz is needing that bedding in, especially with the price tag because that will be in his head as well.”

Slot Balancing High-Value Options

Arne Slot has been presented with a complex selection puzzle. Wirtz was not the only marquee arrival, with Alexander Isak joining for £125m and Hugo Ekitike signing for £69m. Both forwards have shown brighter early returns. Ekitike has five goals and one assist in ten matches across competitions, while Isak found the net in the Carabao Cup win over Southampton.

Heskey has a clear view on how to structure the attack.

“If you’re talking about out-and-out strikers, I’d rather have Isak starting than Ekitike because I’ve seen him do it before,” he said.

“Don’t get me wrong, I think Ekitike has done fantastic and he’s got so much to give. I’d be interested to see if it could be done with two of them up front or one of them on the left drifting in with Kerkez coming and overlapping a little bit more.”

Tactical Experimentation May Offer Solution

Wirtz operates best between the lines. At Leverkusen, he thrived in systems that allowed freedom rather than rigid positional duties. Slot’s intense structure demands precise execution and instant defensive transitions, which may be delaying his rhythm. Integrating him alongside two strikers could unlock his vision without overburdening him in build-up.

A fluid setup with Isak central, Ekitike drifting from the left and Wirtz floating behind could provide Liverpool with an unpredictable trident while restoring confidence to their record signing.

Long-Term Investment Worth Protecting

Liverpool supporters have witnessed slow starters turn into legends before. Mohamed Salah needed repositioning to flourish. Fabinho took months to settle into his role. Wirtz has already shown elite-level decision-making in Germany, and those instincts do not vanish overnight.

Slot’s biggest test is not just selecting the right forwards but managing expectations around one of Europe’s costliest prospects. If Wirtz clears the mental hurdle identified by Heskey, Liverpool may yet look back on these early struggles as a brief footnote.