‘He's got until Christmas’ — Liverpool legend warns current star is running out of time to prove his worth

Former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann has issued a stern warning to £116million summer signing Florian Wirtz, insisting the 22-year-old is rapidly running out of time to justify his hefty price tag.

Wirtz, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen with big expectations, has yet to score or assist in the Premier League, and with Liverpool losing nine of their last 12 matches in all competitions, scrutiny around his performances has intensified.

Hamann believes Wirtz has been handed more than enough chances to show his quality, especially during Liverpool’s current slump.

Speaking to CoinPoker.com, he said: “Florian Wirtz has had chances to perform. He's had chances over the last six to eight weeks, where the team hasn't really fired since the start of the season.”

The former midfielder argued that even in games Liverpool managed to win, Bournemouth, Newcastle and Burnley, Wirtz failed to take charge creatively despite starting.

“He's had the chance for the last three months to perform,” Hamann stressed, questioning why fans should suddenly expect a turnaround now that the team is “in disarray.”

He also expressed concern about Wirtz’s mindset since arriving in England: “He doesn’t look happy at the moment… now he doesn’t do that anymore, he thinks too much.”

Hamann then delivered the most striking part of his assessment, claiming Wirtz has just weeks left to secure his long-term future at the club.

“I think he's got until Christmas now to show his worth,” he said, warning that Liverpool could be forced to consider alternatives if things don’t improve.

The former Red even floated the possibility of a January exit:“Could he still leave Liverpool on loan in January? Yeah.” He argued that despite the club’s desire to protect and support such an expensive signing, the reality is harsh: “The way he's playing at the moment, I'm not sure he's capable of doing that.”

Hamann also questioned whether Wirtz is struggling with the Premier League’s intensity saying, “Sometimes when I watch him… I’m thinking maybe it’s because it’s a lot quicker, a lot more physical, as if he were to say: ‘I’m not sure that’s for me.’”

With Liverpool sitting eighth and upcoming fixtures against, Sunderland and Leeds, the pressure on Wirtz is reaching a critical point.