Jamie Carragher says Florian Wirtz would not make his Liverpool team

German international Florian Wirtz, the €125 million DFB‑professional, was sharply criticised after Liverpool’s 1‑0 win at AFC Bournemouth on the Premier League’s fifth matchday, with former defender Jamie Carragher declaring the midfielder would not belong in his Team as the Reds struggled to create chances.

Match details and Wirtz’s involvement

Liverpool secured a 1‑0 away victory over AFC Bournemouth, the only goal coming from striker Alexander Isak in the 57th minute. Florian Wirtz played a negligible part, remaining on the pitch without influencing the attack and being withdrawn by manager Andoni Iraola in the 71st minute for Trey Nyoni. The German Nationalspieler’s performance was described as pale throughout the encounter.

Since joining Liverpool in 2025 for €125 million, Wirtz has made five Premier League appearances and recorded just one direct involvement – an assist in the 2‑2 draw with Nottingham on matchday two at the end of August. That solitary contribution came against a side that later became Bournemouth’s opponent in this fixture. The limited output has left many questioning the value of a player who, in Carragher’s view, should cost only half of what Liverpool paid.

Carragher’s verdict and future doubts

“Das war eine der schlechtesten Leistungen, die ich je von ihm im Liverpool‑Trikot gesehen habe,” said former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher as co‑commentator, adding, “Das ist einfach gar nichts. Da passiert überhaupt nichts.” A well‑known Name was later cited as demanding consequences.

Carragher continued, “Ich mache mir Sorgen, denn ich glaube nicht, dass Wirtz nicht in Form ist, seitdem er in Liverpool spielt. Ich glaube vielmehr, dass wir gerade einfach sehen, was er nun mal für ein Spieler ist.” He argued, “Ich sehe einfach nicht, wie er einer anderen Mannschaft wehtun könnte. Und in gewisser Weise sollte solch ein Spieler eigentlich nur die Hälfte von dem kosten, was Liverpool für ihn bezahlt hat.” He reminded listeners that Liverpool expected the €125 million signing to drive the club to another league title and a Champions‑League triumph, but even an improvement would fall short of those hopes. Carragher urged manager Andoni Iraola to make a difficult decision ahead of the upcoming clash with Manchester City, stating, “Wirtz wäre aktuell nicht in meinem Team … gegen City darf er nicht in der Mannschaft sein.”

National team manager Jürgen Klopp offered a glimmer of optimism, praising his own ability to extract more from players: “Jürgen ist einer der besten Trainer der Welt. Was er dank seiner Persönlichkeit aus Spielern macht, ist mehr, als es die meisten anderen Trainer können.” Klopp suggested that Wirtz could rebuild confidence during the next four international fixtures, hoping he returns in best form and impresses against Manchester City, which would “forgive and forget” the recent criticism.