Overview
- The 22-year-old, a roughly £116m summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, has three assists in 14 appearances overall but none in the Premier League.
- Arne Slot left Wirtz on the bench in the 2-0 win over Aston Villa, opting for Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai in midfield.
- Gary Lineker and Micah Richards said the call was correct and argued Wirtz needs time to adapt to the Premier League’s pace and intensity.
- Reports note rising scrutiny on Slot after heavy summer spending, with a more familiar lineup credited for restoring cohesion against Villa.
- Analysts recommend a phased reintroduction for Wirtz, likely from the bench during the upcoming Real Madrid and Manchester City fixtures.