Ex-Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov knows what it feels like to arrive with expectation, a reputation, and an immediate demand to deliver. He’s been there twice, in fact.
First at Tottenham Hotspur, where he took time to adapt to English football’s pace and intensity, and later at Manchester United, where his languid brilliance sometimes disguised the inner turbulence of a player learning to trust his own timing.
So when Berbatov speaks about Florian Wirtz, Liverpool’s £116million summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen, there’s a quiet authority to his words.
“By the way, I love him,” Berbatov told Rio Ferdinand on his Rio Ferdinand Presents YouTube channel. “He’s a fantastic player. He will be unbelievable, trust me.”
Wirtz, just 22, has experienced a mixed start to life at Anfield. After beginning the Premier League season as a starter in Arne Slot’s first four league matches, he’s found himself eased out of the domestic spotlight, starting recent games on the bench as he adjusts to new surroundings, new expectations, and a new tactical framework.
He’s yet to score in red, though his two assists against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League hinted at the creative spark that persuaded Liverpool’s hierarchy to invest so heavily in him.
Still, as Berbatov points out, that transitional phase the quiet frustration between arrival and impact is part of every elite player’s journey.
“In my case, I was having doubts,” he said. “The same process was happening when I went to Leverkusen. Because in Leverkusen, in the beginning, it didn’t work out quite well. I needed to be patient.
“Now in Spurs, again new environment, new people, new language, new everything. Again, things were taking slowly to happen for me. And I was thinking, maybe I need to go back. That negative thinking it’s not a good way of doing things. But at the same time, I had to remind myself: just be patient. Keep working. You have the quality. You deserve to be here.
It’s advice that could easily be pinned to the wall inside Wirtz’s locker. Patience and persistence are not fashionable traits in modern football, but they remain the cornerstones of adaptation.
Liverpool’s recruitment team, led by Richard Hughes, never viewed Wirtz as a short-term fix. They saw a long-term creative fulcrum a player whose ability to interpret space, manipulate tempo, and connect lines would suit Slot’s positional game. The early glimpses have validated that belief, even if the end product has yet to flow.
Behind the scenes, Slot and his staff have been encouraged by Wirtz’s professionalism and humility. The coaching staff believe his integration will take time and that’s been communicated to the player and his representatives.
“Hopefully he will be patient,” Berbatov continued. “Hopefully, he’ll have good people around him agent, family, whatever. Hopefully, the coach sees his quality like everybody sees him.
“I’m sure that everybody sees his quality, and they’ll give him that time that he needs to fit into the team. And I guarantee you, he’s going to be a success. The way he sees football, how he looks for the space, how he positions himself, the touches on the ball, the improvisation, the eye for the pass and for the goals it’s all there.”
Berbatov also addressed one of the common doubts raised about Wirtz: whether his frame and physical profile are suited to the Premier League.
“Of course, someone can argue that his physique is not that great for the Premier League,” he said. “But then you can easily see the great players of his position like Modric also the same build. Modric, monster. It’s unbelievable. So give him time. I think he’s going to be unbelievable for Liverpool.”
For Liverpool supporters, the early months of Wirtz’s tenure might feel like déjà vu. There were similar questions around Darwin Núñez’s adaptation, Cody Gakpo’s positional fit, even Dominik Szoboszlai’s consistency. Slot’s system places heavy demands on technical and tactical understanding, and new signings are rarely thrust into starring roles without a bedding-in period.
Wirtz’s challenge now is to turn moments into momentum. The rhythm of the Premier League faster transitions, less space, fewer touches can take months to master. But those who’ve trained with him say his intelligence stands out; that he already sees pictures others can’t.
And that, perhaps, is why Berbatov’s words ring true.
Liverpool have seen the signs. Berbatov has, too. And if Wirtz listens to the right voices, there’s every reason to believe he’ll justify the faith and the fee.
“You wanted something to change,” Berbatov said. “Now you’re here. Now be stubborn. Be patient. Keep working. And it will happen.”
