Florian Wirtz ‘needs’ to join Chelsea as Liverpool transfer claim made

Former Liverpool striker Fernando Morientes believes Florian Wirtz would be best served by reuniting with Xabi Alonso at Chelsea

Florian Wirtz has been urged to consider a reunion with Xabi Alonso at Chelsea this summer by former Liverpool striker Fernando Morientes.

Wirtz had an inconsistent campaign for the Reds having made a £116millon move from Bayer Leverkusen last summer, scoring seven goals and providing 10 assists in 49 appearances.

The 23-year-old is presently on holiday following Germany’s shock early World Cup exit to Paraguay more than a fortnight ago but is expected to link up with the new head coach Andoni Iraola’s squad during the US tour later this month.

Morientes signed for Liverpool from Real Madrid amid much fanfare in January 2005 but failed to live up to expectations and left 18 months later after just 12 goals in 61 appearances.

And amid speculation Alonso – who managed Wirtz at Leverkusen – could pursue a move for the Reds man, Morientes pointed to his own Anfield experience.

“Would Florian Wirtz consider a reunion with Xabi Alonso at Chelsea?” he said. “He hasn’t found his level in his first season, and I think what he needs is a change of scenery to get back to his best.

“I’ll put this in the context of something similar that happened to me. I’d played for Madrid, done well, gone to Monaco, done well, and yet when I went to Liverpool I never found my best version.

“I quickly realised that maybe that wasn’t the right place for me. I needed to find my best version, and I needed the team and the coach around me to suit my style too. I decided pretty quickly that I had to go and play for Valencia, because I felt that environment suited my characteristics better.

“And I wasn’t wrong: I went to Valencia, started scoring again, felt comfortable, and even made it back into the national team.”

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Speaking to Reviant, Morientes continued on Wirtz: “I think he himself probably realises he’s not quite in the right context, and Xabi Alonso’s interest is very interesting for that reason. Why? Because Alonso got performances out of him before, he understands him, he can build a team designed around him too.

“What could Liverpool ask for him? They’ll say at least what he cost, but I don’t think anyone’s going to pay that. If he’d shown he was at that level, sure, but with a bit less, maybe 25, 30, even 35% less, I could see them asking for that, because he’s a great player.

“But I don’t know if Chelsea would be willing to pay that much. So it depends on Liverpool: whether they want to try to get performances out of him, which maybe they won’t manage, or let him go and let the lad be happy somewhere else.”