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.”
FUTURE OF ANFIELD? THE REAL STORY BEHIND LIVERPOOL’S HUGE BID FOR EDUARDO CAMAVINGA
Eduardo Camavinga to Anfield? Get the exclusive details on Liverpool’s "unbeatable" bid and Real Madrid’s transfer stance today.
Liverpool just dropped a huge €100 million bid for Eduardo Camavinga, according to the latest buzz. The Real Madrid star’s name keeps popping up in connection with a move to England, and now there’s talk Arsenal could try to steal him away, too.
Back in 2021, Liverpool chased Camavinga hard. He was lighting it up at Rennes and looked like one of their best-ever talents. But in the end, Real Madrid swooped in first, paying €31 million to sign him that August.
Since then, Camavinga’s done just about everything in Madrid. He’s played 210 games and helped win two Champions Leagues, two LaLiga titles, a Copa del Rey, and a pile of other trophies. He’s not just a top-class midfielder; he’s shown he can fill in at left-back and still look like a natural.
Even so, rumours about a Premier League move just won’t go away. Now, reports from Spain say Liverpool have come in with what’s being called an “unbeatable” offer, hoping to finally bring the French international to Anfield.
The club sees Camavinga as exactly what their midfield needs: energy, experience, intensity, and loads of potential. And honestly, €100 million is tough for Madrid to brush off, especially since it could help fund a big summer signing.
But Madrid doesn’t want to lose him. They rate Camavinga really highly, so it’s not an easy call. For Camavinga, the Premier League has its appeal: the speed, the spotlight, the challenge. Still, he’s happy at Madrid.
Earlier this year, there were whispers Liverpool could get him for a bit less, around €92 million, if Madrid’s president decided to shake up the squad and move a few players out. Then, just after the January window closed, Spanish reports claimed Arsenal could jump in with a bid of their own.
Liverpool’s interest is real. They’ve been in touch with Camavinga’s camp, and sources confirmed that at the end of December. But from what we hear, Camavinga loves life in Madrid and is completely focused on his team right now.
Fabrizio Romano even weighed in on Wednesday, reacting to talk of Camavinga joining Manchester United as a replacement for Casemiro. He made it clear Real Madrid isn’t planning to change things up in midfield. If anything, they’re looking to add players, not let key ones go.
There’s still a long way to go before the summer window opens. If anything big changes, whether it’s Tchouameni, Camavinga, or more midfield moves at Madrid, it’ll be big news. For now, though, Camavinga’s staying put.
ANFIELD EXIT SIGNS: WHY SALAH’S FOREST FRUSTRATION SUGGESTS HIS LIVERPOOL CHAPTER IS FINALLY CLOSING
Anfield tension: Discover why Mohamed Salah was subbed for Rio Ngumoha and how his 9-game drought threatens Liverpool's top four.
Mohamed Salah just hasn’t looked like himself this season at Liverpool. Against Nottingham Forest, you could see his frustration all over his face.
Not long ago, things seemed to be turning around for him. Salah had started scoring again. In his last five games, he picked up four assists and a goal. It looked like maybe he was back.
But in the Forest game, Liverpool actually looked sharper after Salah went off and Rio Ngumoha came on. Ngumoha brought so much energy that he changed the whole vibe of the attack. Salah clearly wasn’t happy about getting subbed, even though it was the right call from Arne Slot.
Let’s be honest, who looks pleased when they get taken off? It always kicks off a load of speculation, with people watching for every tiny sign that something’s wrong, over-analysing every shrug or frown. But really, Salah just looked disappointed in his own performance and in the fact that Liverpool were still level with Forest. It probably wasn’t just about getting hooked.
Still, even with Salah’s recent improvement, it feels like his time at Anfield is winding down. It’s rare for a player to leave on a high note. The rumours about MLS and Saudi Arabia aren’t going away, and you get the sense he won’t be any different.
On BBC Five Live, Clinton Morrison didn’t hold back. He said if Salah and Liverpool keep playing like this, forget about the Champions League. “There are still some big problems there, aren’t there?” he told Rick Edwards. “Salah didn’t look happy again.”
Edwards agreed, saying, “If Liverpool play like that for the rest of the season, they’re not getting Champions League. And Salah didn’t look happy again, did he?”
Morrison pointed out how lively Ngumoha was when he came on, setting up a disallowed goal and sparking the team. “Salah didn’t do any of that at all,” he said.
Edwards pressed on, “I think there’s still a big issue there, isn’t there?”
Morrison agreed. “Yeah, well, he hasn’t scored in nine Premier League matches now. It’s his longest run without a goal. I don’t think things are harmonious behind the scenes between him and Arne Slot. We saw hints of it before Christmas, with that ‘throw me under the bus’ comment and then the apology. He looked grumpy about being subbed, but if you’re playing badly, you’re going to get subbed. That’s just how it goes.”
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