Jamie Carragher has voiced serious doubts about the place of Florian Wirtz in Jürgen Klopp's successor Andoni Iraola's Liverpool side, suggesting that the £116.5 million German midfielder could become a symbol of what might be the Premier League's most disastrous transfer window. In a scathing review of Liverpool's midfield during their 2‑2 stalemate with Newcastle United, the former defender dissected the tactical flaws that, in his view, will keep the Reds from mounting a serious title challenge this season.
Carragher opened his analysis by stating, "I don't believe that midfield can function with the personnel in there. For me, it doesn't work. And it's not just about personnel, it's the structure the manager is asking." He argued that the current set‑up, which sees Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai operating in central areas while Wirtz occupies the No 10 position, lacks the balance required to protect the back line and to transition effectively from defence to attack.
At St James' Park, Liverpool deployed Gravenberch and Szoboszlai side‑by‑side in the middle of the park, with Wirtz given the freedom of the number ten role. Rather than anchoring themselves in a double‑pivot, both Gravenberch and Szoboszlai repeatedly pushed forward, leaving the central zone exposed.
Carragher highlighted that Manchester City have historically paired a disciplined holding midfielder with a creative No 10, and that Pep Guardiola often drags his full‑backs inside to shield the space left by an advanced midfield trio. "Why did Pep always bring his full‑backs inside?
Because the holding midfield player needed help to stop counter‑attacks. Straight away that's a problem for me with Liverpool," he said.
The former England defender illustrated several moments where Szoboszlai and Gravenberch surged ahead, joining Wirtz in attack and consequently vacating the midfield. This created large gaps for Newcastle to exploit on the break.
"All they think about is going forwards. All three of them. And that's why it can't work," Carragher asserted. He added that, apart from the two centre‑backs, he had never seen a Premier League side so offensively minded that its midfielders seemed oblivious to defensive responsibilities.
Carragher also pointed out an apparent instruction from Iraola for Wirtz and Szoboszlai to "lock on" to opposition midfielders, a tactic that, while effective for Brentford against Tottenham because their centre‑backs stepped up to cover, fell flat for Liverpool as Virgil van Dijk chose to stay deep. "You've got a situation, like at Man United under Erik ten Hag a few years ago – a team who want to press high but with a deep block.
That's why these big holes are appearing. The midfield players want to lock on and Van Dijk does not want to come with them," Carragher explained, before adding, "He needs protecting, he needs cuddling, he needs looking after." Given these structural weaknesses, Carragher believes Liverpool must act in the January market to bring in a proper holding midfielder who can sit alongside Gravenberch and give the team the defensive solidity it currently lacks. "It doesn't necessarily need to be a player who can't get on the ball and is just tackling and stopping players. If you play for one of the top teams in the world, you need to be able to get hold of the ball.
But I want someone who can run," he said, emphasizing the need for a dynamic, ball‑playing shield. If a dedicated defensive midfielder arrives and Szoboszlai shifts into a true No 10 role, the question remains: where does Wirtz fit? Carragher is blunt: he sees no clear position for the German in Iraola's system. He cited Wirtz's modest output last season – five goals and three assists in 33 league games – as evidence that the player has not justified his £110 million price tag.
"This thing that it takes people a year to settle in the Premier League, I think is a bit of a myth," he argued, adding that the expectation that Wirtz would need a full season to adapt is unfounded. Carragher went on to explain that forcing Szoboszlai into a No 10 role would inevitably push Wirtz out, because the latter does not fit the high‑energy winger profile that Iraola appears to favour. "I almost thought you could put him in a pocket from the left, where he plays for Germany, but Iraola loves wingers, he wants players who've got energy up and down the flank," he noted.
He described Wirtz as a "neat and tidy footballer" with a lovely touch, but suggested his market value should be closer to £50‑60 million rather than the £110‑plus million Liverpool paid. The broader context of Liverpool's summer spending further fuels Carragher's criticism. Alongside Wirtz, the club splashed out on Alexander Isak for a British record £125 million, Hugo Ekitike for £79 million, Milos Kerkez (£40 million), Jeremie Frimpong (£29.5 million), goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili (£29 million) and Giovanni Leoni (£26 million). In total, the Reds committed roughly £445 million in a single window, aiming to bolster Arne Slot's title‑contending squad.
Instead, the campaign ended with Liverpool finishing fifth, Slot being dismissed, and the new manager, Iraola, inheriting a squad that appears mismatched to his tactical vision. Carragher warned that this transfer extravaganza could set Liverpool back by a year or two. He argued that the signings have largely underperformed, with the notable exception of Ekitike, and that the club's defensive record – 78 goals conceded across all competitions, 53 in the Premier League, the highest in the club's top‑flight history – underscores the severity of the problem.
"If this doesn't change in the next two or three months, under Iraola, and these players improve, I think we're going to be looking at that as arguably the worst transfer window we've probably seen in Premier League history," he warned. He also reminded fans that Liverpool's recent decline cannot be blamed solely on the new arrivals; the departure of key figures such as Mohamed Salah, the potential exit of Van Dijk, and the eventual retirement of Alisson also erode the team's core.
Nevertheless, Carragher believes the club's ambitions for a quick return to the Champions League are realistic, stating, "For me, if Liverpool qualify for the Champions League this season, I'd be happy. The manager sort of beds in and then you can maybe go from there and look to challenge." In summary, Jamie Carragher's verdict is stark: Liverpool's current midfield configuration is fundamentally flawed, Wirtz lacks a viable role, and the summer's spending spree may become a cautionary tale of misaligned recruitment. Unless the club addresses its defensive midfield deficiency and finds a coherent tactical identity, the Reds are likely to remain outside the title race and may have to live with what could be remembered as the Premier League's worst transfer window.