Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola has issued a public defence of Florian Wirtz, backing the midfielder's work ethic and team contribution. The comments come a day after former boss Jurgen Klopp highlighted Wirtz as the player who covered the most ground for the club this season.
Speaking to the media on Friday to preview the weekend's Premier League trip to Bournemouth, Iraola insisted the 23-year-old should be judged on his overall impact. "He should be judged like everyone else, he works," said the Liverpool head coach. "How does the team play when you are on the pitch?"
Klopp, who left the club last summer, had offered his own perspective on Wirtz's role. "I think he's the player who covered the most ground at Liverpool this season, so the willingness is absolutely there," Klopp said. He stressed the team must move beyond expecting individual moments of brilliance from the German international and focus on collective performance.
Wirtz's Liverpool career so far
Wirtz arrived from Bayer Leverkusen last summer for a then British-record fee of £116 million. In his debut campaign, he made 49 appearances across all competitions, scoring seven goals and providing ten assists. He has registered one assist so far in the current season as Liverpool sit eighth in the Premier League table with six points from four games.
The club's recent form shows three wins and two draws from their last five matches, a run that includes last weekend's 3-1 victory over Tottenham. They face a Bournemouth side sitting 15th on Saturday, a fixture where Iraola will be looking to continue integrating his squad.
Klopp noted that the team won games 1-0 or 2-0 when Wirtz gave everything without a goal or assist, a point Iraola's defence reinforces. The new manager's backing signals a commitment to developing the high-value signing within the team structure as Liverpool seek to climb the standings.
First reported at Daily Mirror Football
