Carragher’s Blueprint: Why Florian Wirtz Must Channel His Inner De Bruyne to Thrive at Liverpool

The Anfield rumour mill has a new favourite name, and it’s one that sends a ripple of excitement through the red half of Merseyside: Florian Wirtz. The Bayer Leverkusen phenom, fresh off a Bundesliga title-winning masterclass under Xabi Alonso, is seen as the crown jewel of a potential new era at Liverpool. But as speculation mounts, a crucial tactical question emerges: where, and how, would he fit? According to Jamie Carragher, the answer isn’t found by looking at Wirtz’s past, but by studying the Premier League present of a certain Kevin De Bruyne. The former Liverpool defender has laid down a fascinating gauntlet, suggesting that for Wirtz to be at his devastating best for the Reds, he must be deployed in the same hybrid role that made De Bruyne a legend at Manchester City.

Deconstructing the De Bruyne Blueprint: More Than Just a Number 10

To understand Carragher’s vision, we must first dissect the unique position Kevin De Bruyne perfected under Pep Guardiola. He was never a traditional, central number 10 operating solely between the lines. Instead, De Bruyne evolved into a hybrid right-sided playmaker. He would start nominally from the right half-space, but with the freedom to roam everywhere. This role leveraged his two greatest weapons: visionary passing range and devastating crossing ability.

From this corridor, De Bruyne could:

• Orchestrate play with diagonal switches to the left flank, stretching defences to breaking point.
• Drive infield onto his ferocious left foot, creating shooting opportunities or defence-splitting through balls.
• Combine with an overlapping right-back (like Kyle Walker) to create 2v1 situations and deliver pinpoint crosses.
• Exploit space vacated by a central striker pulling wide or dropping deep, making his runs impossible for static defenders to track.

This positional freedom made him unpredictable, multi-dimensional, and phenomenally productive. It was a role built for a complete modern attacker, not just a passer.

Wirtz at Leverkusen: A Glimpse of Versatile Genius

Florian Wirtz’s performances for Bayer Leverkusen showcase a player with a similar, albeit not identical, toolkit. Under Alonso’s fluid 3-4-2-1 system, Wirtz enjoyed immense liberty, often starting as one of two central attacking midfielders. His game is defined by elusive movement, impeccable close control in tight spaces, and a pre-assist mentality that unlocks defences. He is the ultimate connector, the player who makes the pass before the assist.

However, in a potential Liverpool system, slotting him as a pure ‘10’ in a 4-3-3 could expose defensive frailties and crowd the central spaces that players like Dominik Szoboszlai also look to inhabit. This is where Carragher’s analysis is razor-sharp. Asking Wirtz to simply be a number 10 might limit his impact and unbalance the team. Asking him to be Liverpool’s version of the right-sided De Bruyne role, however, could be a tactical masterstroke.

The Liverpool Fit: A Symphony in the Right Half-Space

Imagine Liverpool’s 4-3-3 morphing in possession. Trent Alexander-Arnold, from right-back, tucks into midfield to become the playmaker from deep—a role he has increasingly adopted. This movement naturally creates space on the right flank. Now, enter Florian Wirtz, starting from a right-sided attacking midfield position.

In this scenario, Wirtz becomes the advanced creative outlet on that side. With Alexander-Arnold covering the deeper playmaking duties, Wirtz is freed to focus on receiving the ball higher up, between the opposition’s midfield and defensive lines. His responsibilities would mirror De Bruyne’s:

• Forming a lethal partnership with Mohamed Salah. Wirtz’s ability to draw defenders and play subtle through passes could find Salah’s darting runs inward, a terrifying prospect for any backline.
• Utilising the right channel for early crosses to Darwin Núñez or a far-post runner, a underused weapon in Liverpool’s current arsenal.
• Cutting inside to unleash shots or slide in reverse passes, adding a direct goal threat from a different angle.
• Providing defensive work-rate in a coordinated press, a non-negotiable under any Liverpool manager.

This setup doesn’t stifle Wirtz’s creativity; it channels it into specific, high-impact zones. It also solves a positional logjam, allowing Szoboszlai or Mac Allister to operate from the left or central areas without overlapping functions.

Challenges and the Verdict: Can Wirtz Become “KDB Lite”?

The comparison is a lofty one, and challenges exist. De Bruyne’s crossing is arguably the best in Premier League history, and his physical robustness for the role is proven. Wirtz, while tenacious, would need to adapt to the unique ferocity and pace of the English game. The defensive demands of the role in a Liverpool system are also significant.

Yet, the core premise is sound. Wirtz possesses the technical brilliance, spatial intelligence, and creative audacity to excel in a hybrid right-sided role. Carragher isn’t asking for a carbon copy, but for a tactical translation. He is advocating for a system that maximizes Wirtz’s world-class attributes by giving him a defined, yet free, domain to influence the game—just as Guardiola did for De Bruyne.

For Liverpool, the potential payoff is enormous. It would mean adding a generational talent without having to dismantle their existing framework. Instead, they would be evolving it, adding a new layer of sophisticated creativity to their relentless attacking machine. Wirtz in the De Bruyne role wouldn’t just be a signing; it would be a tactical statement.

In the high-stakes chess match of Premier League football, Jamie Carragher has identified the perfect square for Florian Wirtz to occupy. If Liverpool secure his signature and have the courage to deploy him in this liberated, right-sided command post, they won’t just be getting a magnificent player. They might just be unlocking the successor to the Premier League’s premier creative throne.

Source: Based on news from Sky Sports.