Liverpool: Florian Wirtz part of potentially a worst-ever transfer window, says Jamie Carragher as Reds' midfield problems exposed

Jamie Carragher says he doesn't see where Florian Wirtz fits into the Liverpool team - and the £116.5m German could be part of the worst transfer window in Premier League history.

During a damning assessment of the Reds' midfield set-up in their 2-2 draw at Newcastle, Carragher also explained the big weakness in new boss Andoni Iraola's tactical approach at Liverpool and why it will prevent them from launching a Premier League title challenge this season.

Here's how the Sky Sports pundit broke down Liverpool's big issues on Monday Night Football...

A midfield dilemma

"I don't believe that midfield can function with the personnel in there," said Carragher. "For me, it doesn't work. And it's not just about personnel, it's the structure the manager is asking."

Liverpool fielded Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai in midfield at St James' Park, with Florian Wirtz at No 10.

However, rather than sitting in a double pivot, Szoboszlai often moved forward into more attacking areas.

Carragher noted how Man City have had success in the past with a double-pivot and No 10 set-up but added: "Why did [Pep] Guardiola always bring his full-backs inside? Because the holding midfield player needed help to stop counter-attacks. Straight away that's a problem for me [with Liverpool].

Carragher showed examples of not only Szoboszlai but also Gravenberch charging forwards to join Wirtz and emptying the midfield - providing space for Newcastle to counter-attack into.

"All they think about is going forwards. All three of them. And that's why it can't work," said Carragher.

"I don't think I've ever seen a more offensive team, or players who think offensively in the Premier League than that. There's only the two centre-backs who don't think about going forward."

Carragher also noted how it appears to be an instruction from Iraola for Wirtz and Szoboszlai to 'lock on' to opposition midfielders.

However, while Brentford had success employing a similarly aggressive tactic against Tottenham because their centre-backs stepped up to close the space behind, Liverpool's Virgil van Dijk didn't make the same move. Instead, the 35-year-old centre-back sat deeper.

"You've got a situation, like at Man Utd under Erik ten Hag a few years ago - a team who want to press high but with a deep block.

"That's why these big holes are appearing. The midfield players want to lock on and Van Dijk does not want to come with them."

On Van Dijk, Carragher added: "He needs protecting, he needs cuddling, he needs looking after."

Holding midfield signing essential

After watching Liverpool against Newcastle, Carragher says it is now essential they sign a holding midfielder to offer them more security against fast breaks.

"Liverpool need someone alongside Gravenberch," said Carragher. "It doesn't necessarily need to be a player who can't get on the ball and he's just tackling and stopping players. If you play for one of the top teams in the world, you need to be able to get hold of the ball. But I want someone who can run.

"Szboszlai has to go to the No 10."

What to do with Wirtz?

If a holding midfielder comes in alongside Gravenberch and Szoboszlai goes to No 10, where does Wirtz go?

Carragher doesn't see a suitable role for him in the Liverpool team with Iraola's set-up.

He says the German's lack of end product with Liverpool - just five goals and three assists in 33 Premier League appearances last season - means it is fair to question whether he will ever be the answer.

"This thing that it takes people a year to settle in the Premier League, I think is a bit of a myth. I don't think there's too many examples where it does," said Carragher.

"I've always seen this coming. When people are saying [Wirtz] has got to go to No 10, that means Szoboszlai's got to be in the team and he's not a central midfield player.

"I thought this would come up in six weeks, I think it's coming up right now. I don't see where he fits in at all, really.

"What's Iraola going to do with Wirtz? You can't keep going with it, it's not working,

"It didn't work last season. Liverpool last season conceded 78 goals, 53 in the Premier League, the most they've ever conceded in the Premier League. And all of a sudden it's all about buying wingers?

"I'm not sure where he fits. I almost thought you could put him in a pocket from the left, where he plays for Germany, but Iraola loves wingers, he wants players who've got energy up and down the flank.

"I don't think we're seeing a massive underperformance. I think what we've seen for a year is probably what he is, which is a neat and tidy footballer. Not a player who should be worth £110m, someone who probably should be £50m-60m, something like that. Neat and tidy, lovely touch. I'm not sure what people are expecting."

Worst transfer window in Premier League history?

Wirtz was part of an enormous £445m transfer spend by Liverpool last summer, when it appeared they were out to supercharge Arne Slot's Premier League title-winning squad. Instead it went badly wrong, with Liverpool limping home in fifth, with Slot sacked.

As well as Wirtz, Liverpool also signed Alexander Isak for a Premier League record £125m, Hugo Ekitike (£79m), Milos Kerkez (£40m), Jeremie Frimpong (£29.5m), Giorgi Mamardashvili (£29m) and Giovanni Leoni (£26m).

Carragher reckons that transfer window may have hurt Liverpool more than it helped them. In fact, he reckons it could go down as the worst summer of business by a Premier League club ever.

"My fear is this window of 12 months ago could set Liverpool back a year or two to fix it," he said.

"Don't forget, last season it was not about these players. Because it was all about Arne Slot and his style of playing, and he's not like Jurgen Klopp, and he's holding his players back...

"But we're talking 12 months of under-performance from all of these players except Ekitike.

"If this doesn't change in the next two or three months, under Iraola, and these players improve, I think we're going to be looking at that as arguably the worst transfer window we've probably seen in Premier League history.

"When you consider the fees for these players, and what it was going to do for Liverpool... The idea wasn't for these players coming in just to be good players, it was to create something like a little dynasty for Liverpool.

"Let's not forget, Liverpool won the league two years ago. These were supposed to do what City have done in the last few years, or Manchester United in the past, where they've gone and won two or three leagues in five years."

Title contenders? Not this year...

With all that in mind, Carragher has little hope of his former club mounting a serious title challenge this season.

"I don't think Liverpool will be contenders this season," he said. "Liverpool are in transition

"I'm not trying to make excuses for them, because they've lost [Mohamed] Salah, Van Dijk is probably going to go, maybe this is his last season, and the goalkeeper Alisson. You're talking about three all-time greats there for Liverpool.

"So they're probably not going to be there in 12 months and these [signings of summer 2025] have got to find their feet, and Iraola has got to find his feet at a big club.

"For me, if Liverpool qualify for the Champions League this season, I'd be happy. The manager sort of beds in and then you can maybe go from there and look to challenge."