Florian Wirtz placed on ‘special bulk programme’ as Liverpool midfielder continues adapting to intensity of Premier League

The German attacking midfielder had an underwhelming start to his journey in the Premier League after Liverpool broke the bank to sign Wirtz for a then-British record transfer fee from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer transfer window. The 22-year-old went 16 English top-flight matches without scoring a goal before finally ending his drought last Saturday, as he scored the all-important second goal for the Reds after Ryan Gravenberch handed the English champions the lead. The German's strike proved crucial for the club as Wolves pulled one back at the start of the second half.

After his initial struggles in Merseyside, the Liverpool coaching staff placed Wirtz on a special programme to bulk up in order to match the intensity of the Premier League, according to the Daily Mail. The hard shifts in the gym and intense weight training have clearly paid off as Wirtz has gained two kilograms in weight and was seen at the very best of his abilities against Wolves at Anfield last weekend.

The midfielder had a commanding presence in the attacking third as he controlled the game and even contributed with a late first-half goal. Liverpool fans can finally breathe a sigh of relief that Wirtz has found his old form from Germany and is now ready to light up the Premier League.

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After Wirtz's heroics at Anfield, Reds boss Arne Slot had told Sky Sports: "The team have seen how much he (Wirtz) did already for us, creating chances and being so close to a goal. He will go on and score many more goals than one for us. I think Florian did more than only score today."

Wirtz then himself told Sky Sports: "It was very nice the feeling on the pitch with the fans around. I was very happy and I still am. I was confident that I would score one day. I wanted to start earlier scoring and assisting but it was like this and I have to accept it. I just know that it will come and I try to keep going like that. We played a brilliant first half. We lost the game and got it back. Everyone was working hard. In the last 20 minutes, we made it a bit difficult. I cannot explain why. We have to change that. That's how we want to do it. We want to be there and be on top of the table. It's not been an easy start for us but we're doing better and getting the points."

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk also showered the youngster with praise as he said: "I was very happy for him. He played a very good game. Everyone was outstanding in the first half. It's great to see and hopefully many more to come from him. He's getting used to playing for Liverpool and what we want to do as a team. He's getting used to the intensity. After about 70 minutes I think he had some cramp. It's part of the game. He just has to keep going. It was an important goal for us and now on to New Year's Day. I think he runs almost everywhere. At times on the left, at times in the middle. He's a very intelligent player who is so comfortable on the ball. He finds space between the lines and can be very important. "He wants to be important in terms of goals and assists. The work rate he puts in and the chances he creates is what I think is even more important. I am really pleased for him, like the rest of the team. You saw the celebrations. Everyone is so happy for him."

Wirtz will now aim to push forward in 2026 and play a decisive role reminiscent of his price tag in Liverpool’s push for silverware come the end of the season. His Anfield career is still in its infancy and there will be many more opportunities for the playmaker to affect games in the Premier League and show just why he was one of the most sought-after players in world football over the summer.