Liverpool spent a club-record €117.5 million on Florian Wirtz, hoping he would be the perfect playmaker. Instead, the team suffered 12 losses and a 24-point decline from their title-winning season. With just five goals and three assists since arriving, Wirtz has become the easiest target for fans.

Manager Arne Slot was fired, and Mohamed Salah's contract was terminated, leaving Wirtz under intense scrutiny. ESPN analyzed 18 players since 2010 who matched Wirtz's elite profile at Leverkusen: 80+ touches, 80%+ pass completion, 2+ shots, 2+ chances created, 7+ passes into the box, and 6+ touches inside the box per 90 minutes. This rare combination of creativity and goal involvement is what made Wirtz the Bundesliga's best player at 20.

The question now is whether Liverpool's struggles reflect a failed transfer or a temporary slump for a genuine superstar.