Would Liverpool ‘take a refund’ on Florian Wirtz after Germany star booed on international duty?

Will Ford 16 Oct 2025 9:05 AM

Florian Wirtz has endured a difficult start to life at Liverpool.

Florian Wirtz is yet to convince following his £100m move to Liverpool, but would the Reds “get their money back” from Bayer Leverkusen if they could?

Wirtz has failed to muster a goal contribution for Liverpool since his assist in the Community Shield, drawing plenty of criticism over his displays for the Reds this season.

He played every minute for Germany in their two World Cup qualifying wins over Luxembourg and Northern Ireland, but again failed to score or assist, and was subjected to boos at Windsor Park on Monday.

Wirtz endeared himself to the crowd by dramatically falling in the penalty area, despite not being fouled, which predictably didn’t go down well.

He found himself being booed whenever he touched the ball and the hostility grew when the Liverpool star collapsed once again moments later, this time just beyond the penalty box.

The 22-year-old will return to action on Sunday as Liverpool welcome Manchester United to Anfield, an former Manchester City defender Joleon Lescott insists the Reds need to see more from their big-money signing, whom he reckons they would send back to Leverkusen for a refund at the end of the season if they could.

“I’m not convinced,” said Lescott, speaking on In The Mixer. “If Liverpool could get their money back at the end of the season, they would do it.

“Listen, we can’t judge him solely on the games that he’s played in, but he should have had an impact on one of those games. And for me, it was the Burnley game.

“I’m like, if you’re an attacking player, forget the fee and we need a goal, I shouldn’t be taking you off. You should be the guy that then hopefully creates the opportunity.

“I think I should have seen something that would make me go, ‘Right, good, I’m gonna see that again.’ Just like a moment in a game. I would have liked to have seen that by now and know that it was coming. There haven’t been enough of them moments yet.”

Fellow German Jurgen Klopp believes that any talk regarding Wirtz has been blown out of proportion and is convinced he will prove any doubters wrong.

Klopp said: “I don’t have to worry about Florian Wirtz because his quality is so outstanding.

“Of course, everything is fine, and everyone knows that. The discussion is certainly being blown out of proportion. Liverpool have just lost three games in a row – it’s unusual for something like that to happen after such a long time. But it’s also normal in life.

“That’s why these things are discussed. I’ve been in the middle of such discussions long enough now, and I can tell you: nothing could interest people less than the public discussions that are taking place there. So it doesn’t matter, and everything will be fine.

“[Wirtz has] a stable environment at Liverpool, and the club is great in moments like these. If anyone’s worried, you don’t have to! You can stop.”

Liverpool Florian Wirtz