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Former Norway striker Jan Aage Fjortoft has defended Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz. He suggested that the German is getting blamed for everything wrong at the club, but he isn't worried about his form.
The Merseysiders signed Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer for a reported fee of £116 million. He has provided just one assist in 10 appearances across competitions this season, with none coming in the Premier League. This has led to widespread criticism of the midfielder.
Moreover, Arne Slot's side have lost their last three games across competitions, leading to even more scrutiny. Jan Aage Fjortoft, who played for Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga, has said that he is the least worried about Wirtz. He said (h/t Mirror):
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“The criticism is focused on Wirtz; he seems to be responsible for everything negative at Liverpool. The only thing missing is for him to be blamed for The Beatles not performing anymore!
“Of all the Premier League transfers like Gyökeres, Isak and the rest, I have the least concerns about Wirtz. His appointment is a project for five years and more.”
Wirtz's only assist this season came in Liverpool's penalty shootout defeat against Crystal Palace in the FA Community Shield. He hasn't provided a goal contribution in nine games since then.
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann defends Liverpool star Florian Wirtz
Germany beat Luxembourg 4-0 and Northern Ireland 1-0 in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers this month. Florian Wirtz played both games but failed to provide a goal contribution, hitting the post once.
Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann, however, pointed out that the Liverpool star has been creating chances for his teammates. He said:
“Even if he hasn’t scored a goal, he’s the player who creates the most chances in the Premier League. It’s not his fault if his teammate doesn’t create them, and the statistic isn’t even a third of the truth."
“He simply has to get used to the league. I’ve seen him feel completely liberated. He knows what he’s capable of and how things work. Not everything has always been handed to him—he’ll work hard now, too.”
Wirtz will now return to Liverpool as they look to get back to winning ways after the international break. They will face arch-rivals Manchester United at Anfield on Sunday, October 19. The Merseysiders are second in the Premier League standings after seven games, one point behind Arsenal.
