Liverpool manager Arne Slot has used Manchester City icon Kevin De Bruyne as a shining example of why it is far too early to judge the career of Florian Wirtz.
Just as De Bruyne endured a slow start to his Premier League career after joining Chelsea in 2013, Wirtz has failed to live up to lofty expectation across his opening few weeks in England. The former Bundesliga champion and German Footballer of the Year is yet to score for Liverpool and hasn’t created a goal for any of his illustrious teammates since his debut in August’s Community Shield.
Jamie Carragher was one of multiple pundits who called for Wirtz to be taken out of Slot’s starting lineup during a run of three successive defeats for Liverpool heading into October’s international break. Several other prominent figures have presented more measured assessments of the 22-year-old’s adaptation to a new country, team and system while Slot launched an impassioned defence of his £116 million ($155.6 million) summer recruit.
“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 argued to Sky Sports.
“He’s been a bit unlucky with the finishing when he’s given his teammates 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 turned to the example of De Bruyne as inspiration for Wirtz—and a warning for those vocal critics. “Maybe I’m now underestimating the best midfielder who has ever played in the Premier League, Kevin De Bruyne, he was 21 or 22 when he went to Chelsea [and struggled],” Slot noted. “Give him a bit of time, I would say. I’m definitely going to give him a bit of time and in the meantime, he’s been unlucky.”
