Jamie Carragher has openly questioned where Florian Wirtz could possibly fit within Liverpool’s current setup, suggesting that the £116.5 million German star might become a symbol of what could be the most disastrous transfer window in Premier League history. In a scathing analysis of the Reds’ midfield during their 2-2 stalemate with Newcastle, the former Liverpool defender dissected the tactical flaws of new manager Andoni Iraola and warned that those shortcomings are likely to keep Liverpool out of the title race this season. Carragher began by stating his belief that the existing midfield configuration simply cannot operate effectively with the players at hand. “I don’t think the midfield can function with the personnel we have,” he said.
“It’s not just about who’s on the pitch; it’s about the structure the manager is demanding.” At St James’ Park Liverpool deployed Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai in central midfield, while Wirtz was positioned as a traditional No 10. Rather than staying in a disciplined double‑pivot, Szoboszlai frequently pushed forward into advanced zones, leaving the midfield overly exposed. Carragher drew a comparison with Manchester City’s historic success using a double‑pivot combined with a dedicated No 10, noting that Pep Guardiola always pulled his full‑backs inside to protect the holding midfielder and blunt counter‑attacks.
"That’s a problem for Liverpool," Carragher argued, because Virgil van Dijk, Liverpool’s 35‑year‑old centre‑back, tended to sit deeper instead of stepping up to cover the space left by the attacking midfielders. The former defender illustrated several moments where both Szoboszlai and Gravenberch surged forward, joining Wirtz in the final third and effectively emptying the midfield. This left Newcastle with ample room to launch swift counters, a scenario Carragher described as inevitable given the current system.
"All three of them are focused on going forward," he said. "That’s why it can’t work. I’ve never seen a Premier League side as offensively minded as this, apart from the two centre‑backs who stay back." Carragher also pointed out that Iraola appears to have instructed Wirtz and Szoboszlai to ‘lock on’ to opposition midfielders, a directive that, in his view, creates dangerous gaps when Van Dijk refuses to advance. He likened the situation to Manchester United under Erik ten Hag, where a high‑pressing approach was paired with a deep defensive block, resulting in similar vulnerabilities.
"Van Dijk needs protection and care," Carragher added, emphasizing the veteran’s reluctance to move forward with the press. Given these structural issues, Carragher argued that Liverpool must acquire a true holding midfielder to shield the back line from rapid transitions. "They need someone alongside Gravenberch," he said.
"It doesn’t have to be a player who only tackles. At a top club you need someone who can win the ball, distribute it, and cover ground." He also suggested a positional reshuffle: Szoboszlai should occupy the No 10 role, freeing up space for a more defensively disciplined player to sit deeper. This raises the question of where Wirtz would fit. Carragher is blunt: he sees no viable role for the German in Iraola’s current system.
Wirtz’s output last season—five goals and three assists in 33 league games—does not justify a £110 million price tag, in Carragher’s opinion. "The myth that it takes a year to adapt to the Premier League is overstated," he claimed, adding that he had anticipated this dilemma within weeks of the season’s start. Carragher continued, "If you keep trying to slot Wirtz into a No 10, you force Szoboszlai out of his natural midfield position, which is not sustainable. I even imagined using him in a left‑flank pocket, as he does for Germany, but Iraola prefers energetic wingers up and down the flanks." He described Wirtz as a "neat and tidy" player with a lovely touch, but argued that his market value should be closer to £50‑60 million rather than the £110 million Liverpool paid.
The German’s limited impact, according to Carragher, reflects a broader problem with Liverpool’s summer spending spree. Last summer Liverpool splurged on a total of £445 million worth of players, hoping to bolster Arne Slot’s title‑contending squad. The acquisitions included Florian Wirtz, Alexander Isak (£125 million, a Premier League record), Hugo Ekitike (£79 million), Milos Kerkez (£40 million), Jeremie Frimpong (£29.5 million), goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili (£29 million) and Giovanni Leoni (£26 million).
The campaign, however, ended with Liverpool finishing fifth and Slot being dismissed. Carragher warned that this transfer window may have done more harm than good, potentially ranking as the worst summer of business ever seen in the Premier League.
"My fear is that this window could set Liverpool back a year or two," he said. "Last season it wasn’t about the players; it was about Slot’s style, which differed from Klopp’s.
Now we have twelve months of under‑performance from almost every new signing, except perhaps Ekitike." He stressed that unless the new signings find form within the next two to three months and Iraola settles into his role, Liverpool could be looking at a prolonged period of mediocrity. "When you consider the fees involved, the expectation was to create a mini‑dynasty, similar to what City have achieved or what United did a decade ago," Carragher noted. "Instead, we have a squad that has struggled to adapt, and the club’s recent losses of Mohamed Salah, the possible departure of Van Dijk, and the aging Alisson only compound the issue." Looking ahead, Carragher tempered expectations.
He believes that merely qualifying for the Champions League would be a satisfactory outcome for this season, giving the manager and the new players a chance to settle. "If Liverpool can make the Champions League, I’ll be happy," he said. "After that, perhaps we can start to rebuild and aim for a challenge in the future." In summary, Carragher’s analysis paints a bleak picture for Liverpool’s immediate prospects. He sees a midfield lacking balance, a star signing without a clear role, and a transfer strategy that may have cost the club more than it gained.
The only glimmer of optimism lies in the possibility that the team can stabilize, give the new signings time to adapt, and gradually work back toward the standards expected of a club of Liverpool’s stature.