IS SLOT HIDING SOMETHING? DECODING THE MANAGER’S CRYPTIC UPDATE ON FLORIAN WIRTZ’S BACK INJURY
Florian Wirtz injury update! Read Arne Slot’s worrying admission and the latest on Wirtz’s agent's secret Real Madrid transfer talks.
Liverpool manager Arne Slot has shared some worrying news about Florian Wirtz’s injury. Slot admits he has no idea when the German midfielder will be back. Wirtz hurt himself while warming up before Liverpool’s Premier League game at Nottingham Forest and won’t play against West Ham this Saturday.
Wirtz is dealing with a back problem. Slot explained after the Forest match that it’s not a “very serious” issue, but Wirtz, the £116 million signing, is still complaining about his back. The club hoped he’d bounce back quickly, but that just hasn’t happened. He’s still stuck in rehab, and there’s no timeline for his return; it could be days, it could be weeks. There’s some good news, though: Jeremie Frimpong is available again for the West Ham match. Still, Wirtz’s absence is a big concern.
Asked about the situation, Slot told reporters, “Jeremie’s trained with us a few times this week. He’s ready. But I don’t expect Florian to play. It’s disappointing. Any time a player’s out, it’s disappointing, especially when I didn’t see it coming after last week.”
When pressed about when Wirtz might return, Slot said, “Right now, I genuinely don’t know. Usually, when I say that, I do know and just don’t want to say. But this time, I honestly have no idea.”
Wirtz’s injury comes at a rough moment. He was finally hitting his best form, scoring six times in his last 13 matches. Slot praised him, saying, “It’s a big deal for Wirtz to have stayed fit this long, especially after stepping up from his old club to the Premier League and Liverpool. It shows a lot about his mentality and work rate. We’re disappointed he’s been playing really well lately.”
That strong run explains why Liverpool spent so much on Wirtz in the summer of 2025. He briefly became the most expensive player in British football until Alexander Isak broke that record. Liverpool has high hopes for him, and so do his agents. They’re convinced he’ll end up on Real Madrid’s radar someday. Apparently, there was already interest from Madrid when Wirtz left Bayer Leverkusen.
Wirtz’s agent, Volker Struth, talked about those talks: “This summer, while we were discussing Bayern and Liverpool, I called Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid and told him he had to take Florian. He said he wanted to, but I’d have to go see Florentino Perez. So I wrote to Perez and told him I had the player he needed, Florian Wirtz. But even Real Madrid has a budget. I’m not giving up, though. I hope one day Florian plays for Real Madrid.”
ANDY ROBERTSON CONFIRMS LIVERPOOL EXIT; FOUR EUROPEAN GIANTS BATTLE FOR HIS SIGNATURE
Andy Robertson confirms he is leaving Liverpool. Explore his 4 potential moves to Napoli, Juventus, Spurs, or Atletico.
Andy Robertson has confirmed he’s leaving Liverpool at the end of the season, bringing his nine-year run at Anfield to a close. The 32-year-old left-back will walk away as a free agent, and he’s not short of suitors; four clubs are reportedly keen to sign him.
Robertson’s time at Liverpool has been loaded with silverware: two Premier League titles, a Champions League, two League Cups, an FA Cup, plus the Club World Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and Community Shield. But things have changed for him recently. Since Liverpool signed Milos Kerkez, Robertson has struggled to get consistent minutes and has started only 15 games this season. He wanted a move over the winter but stayed put when Liverpool couldn’t find his replacement. Now, with an exit set in stone, the hunt for someplace he can play regularly is on.
Tottenham Hotspur was close to a deal in January. Robertson had reportedly agreed to terms, but Liverpool pulled the plug when they couldn’t bring in someone new. If Spurs want him this summer, they’ll have to convince him their future is stable. Relegation shouldn’t even be a possibility, but this season’s been a mess for them. If they do go down, there’s almost no chance Robertson would agree to play in the Championship.
Atletico Madrid is another option. They already tried to get Robertson last summer, probably seeing him as a perfect player for Diego Simeone’s tough, aggressive style. Atletico looks set for another season in the Champions League, and after beating Barcelona 2-0 at Camp Nou in the quarters, they’ve shown they can go deep. If Robertson wants to keep chasing big European nights, Madrid might be calling.
Juventus have their eye on him, too. The club has a long history of snapping up seasoned players on free transfers, and Robertson fits the mould. Juve is fighting just to get back into the Champions League these days, but its leadership could help lift the mood and the results in Turin. Andrea Cambiaso is their starter at left-back right now, but adding Robertson’s experience wouldn’t hurt on the pitch or in the dressing room.
Finally, there’s Napoli. They’re much closer to the title fight in Serie A, closing the gap on Inter Milan and riding a wave of five straight wins. Antonio Conte would likely see Robertson as a great option for his back-five system. The Scot has played as a wing-back and on the left side of a back three for both Liverpool and Scotland, so the fit makes sense. Plus, Napoli would give him another shot at winning trophies in a city that lives for football.
So, Robertson’s next move isn’t set yet, but wherever he goes, he brings a wealth of experience and a hunger to play every week. He’s not done winning.
ALAN SHEARER DEMANDS CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TROPHY FOR ARNE SLOT TO KEEP JOB
Arne Slot under fire! See the Shearer vs Richards debate on The Rest Is Football podcast about Liverpool’s future.
Alan Shearer thinks Arne Slot needs to actually win the Champions League if he wants to stay in charge at Liverpool, but Micah Richards sees things differently. He says Slot deserves another season, no matter what happens.
Right now, Slot’s under real pressure. Liverpool’s Premier League title defence has been a mess. They got humiliated in the FA Cup, losing 4-0 to Manchester City, and things aren’t looking any better as they head to France to face PSG in the Champions League quarter-final. If they don’t win in Europe, they probably miss out on the Champions League next season at least, that’s how Shearer sees it, since their league form has been awful.
On The Rest is Football podcast, Shearer was blunt: “It’s crazy, especially after last season and all the money they’ve spent. It just hasn’t worked; they’re all over the place, so inconsistent. He has to win the Champions League. I’m not even sure finishing top five will be enough, and it’s just sad seeing how things have gone at Liverpool.”
Back in January, Shearer said he expected Slot to get sacked if he didn’t secure Champions League football for next year. There’s a small lifeline: the Premier League might get an extra Champions League spot through the coefficient rankings, but that’s not confirmed yet.
If that happens, fifth place gets you in. Liverpool is fifth right now, but the race is tight. Only five points separate them from ninth-place Fulham, and teams like Chelsea, Brentford, and Everton are waiting for any slip-ups, according to the Liverpool Echo.
Shearer’s convinced Slot is in trouble if he misses out on the top European competition. Richards, though, thinks the Dutchman’s earned more patience, especially after winning the league just last season.
Richards said, “I’d give him another season. I hate calling it a transition, and yeah, he’s spent a lot of money, but their main striker’s been out injured, there’s been tragedy in the club, the whole contract saga with Salah has been one thing after another. Give him one more pre-season. If things aren’t fixed by Christmas, then fine, make the change. Let’s not forget, he just won the Premier League.”
Shearer wasn’t buying it. He cut in: “That’s fine, but after winning the league, they’re miles off this season, even after all that spending. I hear what you’re saying about bad luck and circumstances, but this is Liverpool. They’re expected to win, and they’ve spent a fortune. They might not even finish in the top five, that’s why he has to win the Champions League.”
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