Andoni Iraola, too his credit, has persisted with Florian Wirtz in his Liverpool starting lineup thus far, the German starting all five Premier League games in 2026/27.
There is a growing consensus that for all the 23-year-old’s work out of possession, however, his lack of end product should ensure he loses his place in the near future, with just one assist to his name so far.
Allowances were made for his slow start across his debut season, having registered only eight league goal involvements, but considering the size of the transfer fee, the Reds would be right to be demanding far more from their £116m signing.
Perhaps it is still too soon to be writing the playmaker off just yet, but there is the question as to how Iraola and Julian Ward might replace the former Bayer Leverkusen man, be it with an internal or external solution.
How Liverpool can replace Wirtz in the short-term
There is a sense that Wirtz may well have walked away with a far more healthy return last term, had opportunities been finished off by those around him, although he still only created five of what would be considered ‘big chances’.
The contrast to the Premier League’s leading playmakers was stark, with Bruno Fernandes, for instance, creating 33 ‘big chances’ over at Old Trafford last season.
As for the new campaign, Wirtz is yet to create a single ‘big chance’ and ranks down in 21st place in the division in terms of general chances created, a poor return for the man meant to be the creative hub of Iraola’s side.
|
25/26 – Big Chances created |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Player |
Big Chances Created |
Assists |
|
Bruno Fernandes |
33 |
21 |
|
Rayan Cherki |
19 |
12 |
|
Declan Rice |
17 |
5 |
|
Jarrod Bowen |
16 |
11 |
|
Yéremi Pino |
15 |
2 |
|
Dominik Szoboszlai |
14 |
7 |
|
Adam Wharton |
14 |
5 |
|
Enzo Le Fée |
13 |
6 |
|
Morgan Rogers |
13 |
6 |
|
Jérémy Doku |
13 |
5 |
The issue for the new boss is that there isn’t a clear, standout alternative to the German in that number ten role, not least having sent Harvey Elliott out on loan again to Valencia.
Dominik Szoboszlai is perhaps the closest thing the Reds have to another senior, attacking midfielder, although even then, the Hungarian appears at his best as a rampaging, all-action number eight.
Perhaps it might require Alexis Mac Allister to shift into a more advanced role, having flourished in that regard back at Brighton, while a more wildcard move would be to relocate one of Iraola’s widemen, be it Bradley Barcola or Rio Ngumoha.
There are those in the academy to be getting excited, including England youth star, Erik Farkas, but it may well take a January signing for Liverpool to properly oust Wirtz from his starting berth.
How Ward can upgrade on Wirtz in January
Richard Hughes has no doubt faced criticism for the way this squad has been assembled in recent years, although the Merseysiders now have a new face to look to in the form of Julian Ward.
The returning Englishman has been confirmed as the successor to Hughes in that sporting director role, having previously held the position across the 2022/23 season.
A priority for Ward will be sorting out the contract situation of a string of high-profile Liverpool stars, including young Ngumoha, yet transfers will also be on the agenda too.
Indeed, it was reported earlier this week that the Reds could be in the mix for Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell, while in terms of the midfield more specificially, Barcelona’s Dani Olmo appears to be a potential option.
As per TEAMtalk, Liverpool are among the Premier League clubs to have been contacted by intermediaries regarding the availability of the World Cup winner, suggesting that talks have already been held.
The rest of the so-called ‘Big Six’ have also been alerted to the possibility of signing the 28-year-old in January, while Bayern Munich are also in the mix.
There is a feeling that Olmo remains highly-regarded at Camp Nou, although the Catalan would still be open to the prospect of a sale, opening the door for Ward to pounce.
In terms of genuine playmakers on the market, the £60m-rated Spaniard is among the very best out there, surely set to represent a dream signing to truly rival Wirtz in that number ten berth.
Injury has been an issue for the former RB Leipzig man in the past, although his quality is without question, having again sparkled for his country over the summer.
Olmo appears to come alive at major tournaments, having registered two assists in North America, after previously racking up five goal involvements at Euro 2024 two years earlier.
That’s not to say he hasn’t also been something of an unsung hero at club level too, already racking up three assists in LaLiga this season, despite starting just twice. In contrast to Wirtz too, Olmo has also created seven ‘big chances thus far.
This is no flash in the pan either, with the Barca man having been immense across 2025/26, chalking up 15 goals and assists, creating 11 ‘big chances’ and averaging 1.5 key passes per game.
Again, that places him firmly ahead of Wirtz in that sense, the Liverpool man scoring and assisting just eight times last season, while creating just five ‘big chances’. Wirtz did, at least, come out on top in terms of key passes made per outing (1.8).
As per Football Transfers, one of the most similar players to Olmo, both statistically and stylistically, is actually Wiirtz, albeit with the Spaniard arguably a step ahead right now amid his superior form in Spain.
He’s a graceful, fluid footballer, the perfect man to operate in between the lines. This could well be the ideal signing for Liverpool and Ward to make in 2027.