Liverpool manager Arne Slot and captain Virgil van Dijk have spoken out in defense of new signing Florian Wirtz, insisting the German forward’s slow start to the 2025-26 season is down to misfortune and adjustment rather than a lack of quality.
Wirtz joined from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer for around £116 million, but through seven Premier League matches he has yet to notch a goal or an assist. Nevertheless, Slot says those headline stats don’t show the full story.
“If you’ve been brought in for so much money, people look mainly at goals and assists, but I can tell you he could be on six or seven assists already,” Slot told Sky Sports.
“One of the greatest examples is the Chelsea game where after one minute [since coming on] he had this great flick to Mo Salah.
“He’s been a bit unlucky with the finishing when he’s given his team-mates chances but, in general for a 22-year-old, it’s quite normal that you have to adjust to going to another country let alone going to the Premier League,” Slot added.
He compared his situation to early struggles of Kevin De Bruyne.
Van Dijk echoed that view, emphasising how important settling in is for new players.
“The main thing is when new players are coming in … is that you feel welcomed, you feel calm, your home situation is sorted, your family is happy. If that is good, then you’ll be able to excel.”
He underlined that the physical demands of the league and being part of a new dressing room require time.
“On top of that, in any profession, you need a bit of time to adjust, to get to know your colleagues, what they like to do, and also the demands of the Premier League and being at Liverpool.”
The Skipper also highlighted Wirtz’s quality alongside other new signings.
“I don’t think it’s good to focus purely on Florian in this case. The quality that he, Alexander (Isak), Hugo (Ekitike), Milos (Kerkez) has, there is no doubt about that.”
Recent stats back some of the squad’s arguments. While his goal contributions are still zero, Wirtz is among Liverpool’s leaders in chance creation and in fact, Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann has defended him too, saying Wirtz has created more chances than any other player in the Premier League so far.
Still, slotting into a new system and adapting to Liverpool’s high pressing, fast tempo, and physicality is presenting genuine challenges.
Both van Dijk and Slot agree that steady improvement over the coming weeks will be key, and they believe that given Wirtz’s work rate, technical gift and character, it’s only a matter of time before the goals and assists follow.
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