LIVERPOOL MOMENTUM: GRAVENBERCH CREDITS ZIDANE’S INFLUENCE FOR HIS DOMINANT 2026 FORM AT ANFIELD
Ryan Gravenberch hails "special" Florian Wirtz! Discover how the $157m man and Gravenberch’s Zidane turns are leading Liverpool.
Ryan Gravenberch can’t say enough good things about playing with Florian Wirtz. The German midfielder has been on fire lately, showing exactly why Liverpool paid $157 million to bring him over from Bayer Leverkusen last summer.
Wirtz always had talent, but lately, you can see he’s stronger and much more comfortable with the pace and pressure of the Premier League. He’s already chalked up six goals and eight assists for the Reds.
“You just see how good he is,” Gravenberch said before Liverpool’s trip to Nottingham Forest this weekend. “He needed a little time to settle in, but now he’s showing what he can do, scoring, setting up goals, and creating chances for everyone around him.”
Gravenberch loves having Wirtz in the team. He calls him a special player, someone who turns games on their head. “You give him the ball, and he makes things happen. Not many midfielders can do that. We work well together, both young, always talking. On the pitch, I’m always looking to find him when I’ve got the ball.”
When it comes to his own inspiration, Gravenberch looked to Zinedine Zidane, even though the French legend retired when he was only four. “I picked up so much just from watching clips of Zidane,” he said. “He played with so much confidence and calm. I love turning in midfield, he did that too, so I try to learn from him and take the good things, but I always want to put my own spin on it.”
Since Arne Slot arrived at Liverpool, Gravenberch has really made the number six role his own. His sharp turns and quick moves help him shake off defenders at Anfield time and time again.
With Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister alongside him and his contract running until 2028, Liverpool will have to start thinking about keeping this midfield together for even longer.
INSIDE ARNE SLOT’S TACTICAL SYSTEM AND ITS IMPACT ON FLORIAN WIRTZ’S GOAL OUTPUT
Florian Wirtz has scored just four times in 25 league games, a major drop from his elite Bayer Leverkusen scoring form.
Florian Wirtz’s £116 million price tag is starting to raise some eyebrows, especially as he struggles to find the scoring touch that made him so valuable. Tony Cascarino from talkSPORT pointed out that while Wirtz is undeniably technically gifted, he’s yet to become truly clinical in front of goal since joining Liverpool.
Wirtz, who moved from Bayer Leverkusen to Anfield with big expectations, took a bit of time to adjust but began contributing to Arne Slot’s team. Yet goals have remained elusive. In 25 Premier League appearances, he’s only managed to score four times, with just one goal each in the Champions League and FA Cup. Recent missed opportunities against Galatasaray, which coincided with Liverpool’s 1-0 defeat, only highlight this ongoing challenge.
Cascarino, a former Chelsea striker and long-time Reds fan, commented on the Weekend Sports Breakfast that Wirtz’s inability to take those chances stands out. He recalled Wirtz’s decent scoring record at Leverkusen, particularly during a season when the club contended for the Bundesliga title, but said those numbers haven’t yet translated to his time in England.
Back when Wirtz was at Bayer Leverkusen, he was more consistent as both a goalscorer and playmaker. Over his last two seasons there, he not only reached double figures in goals but also in assists. For instance, in the 2023/24 season, he scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists, followed by 10 goals and 13 assists the following year. At Liverpool, however, the numbers look quite different. Four goals in 25 league matches is a noticeable drop, even accounting for the Premier League’s markedly higher level of competition. Despite having 24 shots with 15 on target this season, he’s yet to convert those chances into more goals.
Looking ahead, Wirtz will be eager to improve his goal tally in Liverpool’s upcoming match against Tottenham at Anfield. With Igor Tudor’s position at Spurs seemingly under pressure, a strong showing from Wirtz could have a significant impact. The game, scheduled for 4:30 pm on Merseyside, offers him an opportunity not only to build confidence but also, perhaps, to silence some critics questioning whether he can justify that hefty transfer fee.
FINANCIAL EXPERTS PREDICT £120M HIT IF LIVERPOOL MISS 2026-27 CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SPOT
Liverpool face a £120m disaster: Read about the Champions League race, Arne Slot’s anger, and the impact of the £400m summer spend.
Liverpool’s in a tight spot right now. After losing to Wolves at Molineux, they’re clinging to fifth place, usually good enough for a Champions League spot, but the cushion isn’t exactly comfortable. They’re just three points ahead of Chelsea, who still have a game in hand against Aston Villa. That race is heating up fast.
Virgil van Dijk summed it up pretty well: “Either we get it, and we deserve it, or we don’t get it, and we don’t deserve it. If you play for Liverpool, it’s always been like this. It’s down to us, together with our fans, to get the results we need to get into the Champions League.” He also mentioned that Arne Slot, the head coach, wasn’t exactly thrilled after the loss; “angry” was the word he used.
But it’s not just about pride or missing out on big European nights. There’s a lot of money on the line. Football finance expert Kieran Maguire pointed out that missing out on the Champions League could leave a big dent in Liverpool’s bank account, even if the club runs pretty sensibly these days.
UEFA’s numbers tell the story. Liverpool earned €98.1 million (£85.3 million/$114 million) just for reaching the last 16 of the 2024–25 Champions League. Compare that to the Europa League, where they only received €26.8 million (£23.3 million/$31.1 million) for reaching the quarterfinals last season. The gap is massive.
Even winning the lesser European trophies doesn’t come close. Tottenham got €41.4 million (£36 million/$48.1 million) for winning the Europa League, and Chelsea picked up €21.8 million (£20 million/$26.7 million) for the Conference League. It’s nowhere near what Champions League teams bring home.
Maguire also pointed out the other hits: fewer home match days, less broadcast cash, and sponsors that pay out less when the club misses the top tier. He reckons missing out could cost Liverpool around £120 million ($160 million). Still, he doesn’t think it’ll sink the club.
And it’s not like Liverpool have been shy about spending. Last summer alone, they shelled out more than £400 million ($534.5 million) on big names like Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak – the biggest single-window spend in football history, actually.
Even with all that, Liverpool just reported record revenues of £703 million ($939 million) for the year ending May 2025, turning a modest £8 million ($10.7 million) profit. And here’s the kicker: despite that wild summer, Liverpool ranks only eighth in net transfer spend over the past five years. They’ve been splashing the cash, sure, but they’ve kept things balanced in the long run.
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