If you spend £116.5m on a participant – as Liverpool are seemingly about to do with Florian Wirtz – you’ll be able to really feel fairly assured that you just’re getting an exceptionally good footballer.
The Reds have agreed a deal for the aforementioned quantity to signal the Bayer Leverkusen star, as reported by Sky Sports activities Information on Friday, and a fellow German who spent a number of years at Anfield is satisfied that it isn’t simply the 22-year-old’s technical capacity which’ll shine by way of on Merseyside.
Didi Hamann grew to become effectively versed to the physicality of the Premier League from his time in English soccer, and he’s fairly assured that the 5 foot 9 playmaker received’t have any points in adjusting to that factor of England’s high flight.
Hamann backs Wirtz to regulate to calls for of Premier League soccer
Talking about Wirtz on the Aldo Meets Podcast, the ex-Liverpool midfielder stated: “If he involves a crew, which is even higher than Leverkusen, I feel it could possibly be an ideal match. I don’t assume it can take too lengthy – if he does come right here, which I feel he’ll – earlier than the punters love him right here.
“The factor, why I feel he will likely be successful, is that he can take care of himself. He’s like a road child, so he received’t shirk a problem.
“He will likely be taken care of by his teammates, I’m fairly certain, as a result of he will likely be one of many principal gamers subsequent season, but when he must, he can take care of himself. He received’t be nervous; he received’t be afraid of any bodily presence proven in opposition to him.”
Can Wirtz modify to the physicality of the Premier League?
We’ve typically seen footballers who excel in mainland European league battle with the physicality of the Premier League, however Hamann – who is aware of what it’s prefer to play on the high stage in each England and Germany – appears satisfied that it received’t be an issue for Wirtz.
His qualities as a technician within the quantity 10 function have been evident all through his time with Leverkusen, and his document of 57 objectives and 65 assists in 197 video games for the membership speaks volumes, however what of the 22-year-old’s attributes out of possession?
Statistically he doesn’t seem like the strongest participant round – as per FBref, he ranks among the many backside 35% for deal with and aerial duel success in comparison with positional friends in Europe’s 5 principal leagues over the previous yr.
He got here out on high in simply 20% of his aerial battles within the Bundesliga final season, though he did win 20 tackles out of the 32 that he tried.
These figures mightn’t appear significantly sensible, however there’s no means he’d have racked up virtually 230 senior appearances at membership and worldwide stage by the age of twenty-two if he weren’t in a position to maintain his personal, particularly when enjoying close to the highest of European soccer’s meals chain.
If Wirtz can show Hamann proper about his bodily qualities whereas additionally demonstrating his phenomenal technical capacity for Liverpool, it received’t be lengthy earlier than he wins the adoration of the Kop!
