Ex-Liverpool player Vladimir Smicer has urged the Merseyside club to resist selling midfielder Florian Wirtz to Bayern Munich.
The 23-year-old German joined Liverpool in summer 2025 from Bayer for a whopping £100 million, with an additional £16 million in potential bonuses. Recently, TEAMtalk insider Graham Bailey reported that Bayern are eyeing a move for the midfielder if he becomes available.
However, Smicer believes Wirtz deserves more time to prove himself at Anfield. Speaking to Grosvenor Sport, he shared his thoughts on the young talent's future:
What does the future hold for Florian Wirtz? It’s a complicated question. It’s vital to understand how Florian feels about his time at Liverpool and in the Premier League. I am unsure if he is happy here, but I believe he can still find his feet and bring a lot of value to the club. He’s still very young, and I’d love to see him have a successful spell here and remain for a few more years. So at this moment, I wouldn’t sell him to Bayern or anyone else.
He has immense potential, and I think he will showcase it at Liverpool. He’s been unlucky with some passes, and his teammates haven’t finished the chances. You can’t say he’s underperforming when those classy passes lead to goals. Some people demand too much from him. I think folks still focus too much on the transfer fee Liverpool paid, rather than the player himself, and that’s where the issue lies. It’s very similar to what happened with Paul Pogba at Manchester United.
Smicer also offered his views on Liverpool's other midfielder, Dominik Szoboszlai:
Who do you think is the best player in the Premier League after Mohamed Salah’s departure? That’s a tough question because this season can flip in an instant, and it’s a bit early to judge. Arsenal have a solid overall team, but if you had to pick their best player, would it be Bukayo Saka? I’m not so sure. He struggled with injuries last season, which hampered his top-level performance. Let’s wait and see.
Erling Haaland is undoubtedly the best forward in the Premier League, but I don’t want to label him as the best player overall. I’d love to say it’s Dominik Szoboszlai, but he hasn’t quite found his best form this season. I believe he can step up and play a pivotal role, just as he did last year. He still needs to settle into his position and understand the demands of Andoni Iraola. My hope is that by the end of the season, I can acclaim a new Liverpool player as the best in the Premier League to fill Salah’s shoes.
