Arsenal
Once you spend £116.5m on a participant – as Liverpool are seemingly about to do with Florian Wirtz – you possibly can 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 potential which’ll shine by on Merseyside.
Didi Hamann turned properly 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 mentioned: “If he involves a crew, which is even higher than Leverkusen, I feel it could possibly be an ideal match. I don’t suppose 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 probably be a hit, is that he can take care of himself. He’s like a avenue child, so he received’t shirk a problem.
“He will probably be taken care of by his teammates, I’m fairly certain, as a result of he will probably be one of many principal gamers subsequent season, but when he must, he can take care of himself. He received’t be fearful; he received’t be afraid of any bodily presence proven towards him.”
Can Wirtz regulate to the physicality of the Premier League?
We’ve usually 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 high degree 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 file 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 look 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 12 months.
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 good, however there’s no manner he’d have racked up virtually 230 senior appearances at membership and worldwide degree by the age of twenty-two if he weren’t capable of maintain his personal, particularly when taking part in 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 potential for Liverpool, it received’t be lengthy earlier than he wins the adoration of the Kop!
