Florian Wirtz: The Unexpected Rise of Liverpool’s Hidden Game-Changer
So what changed?
One major shift is volume of involvement. At Leverkusen last season, Wirtz averaged 83.6 touches per 90 minutes. In his first 20 Liverpool games, that number fell to just 63.9. Over his last 12, it has surged back to 81.9 — nearly identical to his Bundesliga influence.
His touches in the opposition box have risen too, from 5.0 per 90 in his early Liverpool outings to 7.6 more recently. A touch‑map comparison shows he’s now operating more often in spaces just outside the box, especially on the left — areas he frequently used at Leverkusen. Injuries to Cody Gakpo saw Wirtz deployed on the left at times, and it appeared to bring out his best.
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