Neville slams Wirtz’s tenacity as Liverpool’s £100m duo stalls

Wirtz' £100 million price tag and the promise of a quarter‑of‑a‑billion‑pound front line clash with former Manchester United defender Gary Neville’s blunt assessment that the Liverpool attacking midfielder “needs to sort himself out” after a lacklustre Sunday draw against Newcastle United.

Neville, a former England international and ex‑Manchester United defender, voiced his frustration on his own podcast, saying “Wirtz needs to sort himself out. Enough’s enough now, we’ve talked about him enough.”

He added that the Reds have been “kind” to both Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak, the two big‑money signings who arrived in last summer’s transfer window.

Both players cost Liverpool more than £100 million each, creating a quarter‑of‑a‑billion‑pound attacking partnership that was expected to ignite the Merseyside club.

Since their arrivals, neither Wirtz nor Isak has set the world alight, with performances described as lacklustre and far below the investment.

Sunday draw fuels criticism

The scrutiny intensified after the duo failed to make an impact in Sunday’s 2‑2 draw against Newcastle United, a match that highlighted their ongoing struggles.

Neville criticised Wirtz’s work‑rate, stating “I don’t see the tenacity in Wirtz, in particular. I see a nice player moving around the pitch not really ever looking like he is busting a gut to do anything.”

He also noted that Isak was injured last season, that manager Arne Slot has lost his job, and that the lack of delivery has forced the club to focus sharply on the two forwards.