If you spend £116.5m on a participant – as Liverpool are seemingly about to do with Florian Wirtz – you may really feel fairly assured that you simply’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 skill which’ll shine by 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 gained’t have any points in adjusting to that factor of England’s prime 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 might be an ideal match. I don’t assume it’s going to 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 shall be a hit, is that he can take care of himself. He’s like a road child, so he gained’t shirk a problem.
“He shall be taken care of by his teammates, I’m fairly certain, as a result of he shall be one of many foremost gamers subsequent season, but when he must, he can take care of himself. He gained’t be anxious; he gained’t be afraid of any bodily presence proven towards him.”
Can Wirtz modify to the physicality of the Premier League?
We’ve typically seen footballers who excel in mainland European league wrestle with the physicality of the Premier League, however Hamann – who is aware of what it’s prefer to play on the prime stage in each England and Germany – appears satisfied that it gained’t be an issue for Wirtz.
His qualities as a technician within the quantity 10 position have been evident all through his time with Leverkusen, and his document of 57 targets 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 foremost leagues over the previous yr.
He got here out on prime 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 notably sensible, however there’s no means he’d have racked up nearly 230 senior appearances at membership and worldwide stage by the age of twenty-two if he weren’t capable of 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 skill for Liverpool, it gained’t be lengthy earlier than he wins the adoration of the Kop!
