Liverpool’s Florian Wirtz has the all-round potential to thrive in 2025/26 Fantasy Premier League.
The Germany international moves to Anfield on the back of 21 goals and 23 assists in 63 Bundesliga appearances for Bayer Leverkusen over the last two seasons.
He’s also proven his prowess in European competition over the same period, racking up a further 10 goals and five assists in 20 matches.
Impressive rate of returns
Wirtz's 10 goals and 12 assists last season came from just 25 league starts and six substitute appearances.
That rate of attacking returns was better than every Liverpool player apart from the incomparable Mohamed Salah.
Fewest minutes per attacking return in league 24/25
| Player | Total |
|---|---|
| Salah | 71.8 |
| Wirtz (Bundesliga) | 107.1 |
| Jota | 118.2 |
| Diaz | 119.7 |
| Gakpo | 128.1 |
Wirtz’s underlying numbers provide additional optimism.
Known for his creativity, the versatile midfielder produced a key pass every 41 minutes in the Bundesliga last season. Again, that was a faster rate than any Liverpool player except Salah (38).
Fewest minutes per chance created 24/25
| Player | Total |
|---|---|
| Salah | 38 |
| Wirtz (Bundesliga) | 41 |
| Diaz | 43 |
| Alexander-Arnold | 45 |
Wirtz's creativity should help Arne Slot to compensate for the loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who has departed for Real Madrid.
Wirtz also hit the target with exactly half of his shots last season, with 39 out of 78, highlighting his remarkable accuracy.
Where will Wirtz play?
Given his hefty transfer fee, Wirtz is expected to be a key figure in Slot’s starting XI.
He could potentially operate on the left side of Liverpool’s front three, drifting centrally with the ability to cut inside on to his favoured right foot.
He could also take on the role of a No 10 or even a false nine, much like Roberto Firmino did during his time under Jurgen Klopp.
A rival to Salah for value for money?
Regardless of his role, Wirtz has the potential to shake up the FPL landscape in 2025/26.
Salah’s consistency means the Egyptian will remain the go-to Liverpool attacker for millions of managers, after producing 344 points in 2024/25, breaking his own record for the most points in a season.
But when it comes to providing value for money, if Wirtz settles quickly he could be a genuine alternative to Salah, who could potentially be handed a price rise ahead of 2025/26.
While none of Liverpool's opening three fixtures rank better than three in the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), Liverpool scored eight goals against their Gameweek 1-3 opponents in the corresponding matches last season.
Wirtz will therefore be a midfielder to consider from the start.