Julian Brandt has backed Florian Wirtz amid mounting criticism of the Liverpool midfielder's performances since his big-money move to England. The Ajax midfielder insists his compatriot is Germany's best footballer.
On the Spielmacher podcast, Brandt, who spent many years at Borussia Dortmund, gave his verdict on Wirtz without hesitation. The 30-year-old midfielder said: "For me, he is Germany's best player. By some distance!"
Wirtz joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for €125 million in the summer of 2025, but struggled for a long time to meet expectations. Goals and assists were scarce, and criticism in England grew. Some former footballers even suggested he should leave Liverpool.
For Brandt, talk of an exit is far too premature. "I don't even think he needs to change clubs, despite all the rumours now circulating." The Ajax star believes Liverpool are the right club for Wirtz. "But once you've been given a certain label, it's not easy to shake it off."
The 48-cap international has no doubts about Wirtz's qualities. He particularly admires his compatriot's movement between the lines and his ability to solve difficult situations on the pitch, though he accepts that the playmaker is not a typical Premier League footballer.
As Brandt explains: "The typical Premier League player is someone who is strong in one-on-one duels, can impose himself physically and can strike a ball into the top corner with a lot of power," Brandt explains. "Wirtz, by contrast, is an elegant player. When he runs, his heel barely even touches the ground. He is basically always running on the balls of his feet."
Even so, Brandt sees no reason why Wirtz cannot become one of England's outstanding players. "In my eyes, he is not the prototype of a Premier League player. But I think he has everything it takes to become one of the best there. And again: based purely on his qualities, he is the best for me."
In recent weeks, Wirtz has started to find his feet at Liverpool. After an assist against Brentford (1-2), the playmaker, whom Arne Slot brought to Anfield a year ago, scored his first goal of the season against Villarreal (4-3) last week.