Wayne Rooney says Liverpool have a player who he’d start over Florian Wirtz if he were manager

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The debate over Florian Wirtz’s start to life at Liverpool has been raging once again after another ineffectual performance.

Wirtz was not the only Reds player who failed to turn up against Crystal Palace on Saturday, but his huge price tag means he has been receiving more attention than his teammates.

Liverpool reportedly still believe Wirtz will come good, and it would be foolish to come to any other conclusion just eight matches into his career at Anfield.

Nevertheless, improvement is needed. In order to get the wolves off his back, Wirtz could do with that coming sooner rather than later.

Having been bought for a then British record fee, the German should be virtually guaranteed of his place in the Liverpool starting XI.

But according to former Man United star Wayne Rooney, Wirtz would not get into his team if he were Liverpool manager.

Dominik Szoboszlai preferred to Florian Wirtz

Part of the issue Wirtz has encountered this season is that there was not a ready-made role he could straight away step into in Arne Slot’s team.

The Reds have been playing with a more advanced midfielder since Slot arrived in 2024. But with Dominik Szoboszlai filling this remit last season, the shift to Wirtz could not be more stark.

READ MORE: Florian Wirtz names ‘amazing’ former Liverpool player as his favourite to watch growing up

Szoboszlai has thrived since moving to a deeper role, but speaking on The Wayne Rooney Show, Rooney claimed that the Hungarian is a much better fit in the ‘Wirtz position’ than Wirtz himself.

“I’ve seen players come into this league and it’s taken time, but for me it’s not the price tag, it’s not the player and his ability, I don’t see where he fits into what Liverpool do in that system,” said the England legend.

“Is he a third midfield player? No, he’s a more attacking player. If I had to choose between him and Szoboszlai I’d choose Szoboszlai. If you change the system I think it’d be different, but why would you do that if you’re Liverpool? I think that’s a bit unfortunate.

“They’ve signed these players and you can’t put them all in the team. It can cause problems.”

Wayne Rooney argues Liverpool should not have signed Wirtz

As well as claiming he’d pick Szoboszlai over Wirtz, Rooney has gone even further in his evaluation of Liverpool’s new No. 7.

Although he is clearly a fan of Wirtz as a player, the Scouser claims if he were in charge, the Reds would have signed only Alexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike. According to Rooney, the Germany international disrupts the balance in the rest of the team.

“I think when you sign so many players like Liverpool have, this is not normal for Liverpool, they don’t normally do this,” he says.

“They’ve basically signed a whole new front line and Mo Salah is there as well, so they’re all competing and they’re all fighting against each other to get in the team and I think Wirtz is the one who’s probably not doing as well. He’s got so much ability but for me I don’t see where he gets in the team.

“It was a lot of money, I would have gone for Ekitike and Isak, I think Wirtz actually damages the balance of how Liverpool play,” Rooney adds. “But he’s a top player and I’m sure he will get better, of course he will, but he’s had a slow start there’s no denying it.”