Credit: Imago

Evan Lloyd

Thu 5 February 2026 13:14, UK

Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz has been nominated for the Premier League Player of the Month award for January.

Wirtz has been in terrific form for Liverpool of late, and has four goals and two assists in his last six appearances across all competitions.

The midfielder initially struggled to adapt following his big-money move from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, but he looks to have finally found his feet.

As Liverpool beat Newcastle United 4-1 on Saturday, Wirtz scored and assisted to complete a superb performance.

Arne Slot remains under huge pressure at Liverpool, but he will hope that his faith in the German will be rewarded at the end of the season.

Florian Wirtz among nominees for January award

Wirtz was the subject of huge ridicule in his opening months at Liverpool, as the midfielder struggled to adapt to the Premier League.

His first assist had come against Crystal Palace in the Community Shield final in August, but his first in the league would not arrive until December.

And it would be an even longer wait for his first goal, which came against Wolves just after Christmas.

Since then, however, Wirtz has looked like a player reborn. The 22-year-old has been instrumental for Liverpool, scoring, assisting and running the show on a regular basis. All the signs are that he’s developing into a bona fide Premier League superstar.

With three goals and an assist in six Premier League games in January, the Germany international has been rewarded with a nomination for the Player of the Month award for January.

Yasin Ayari, Patrick Dorgu, Enzo Fernandez, Eli Junior Kroupi, Crysencio Summerville, Igor Thiago, and Harry Wilson are also nominated.

Arne Slot reveals reasons behind Wirtz’s transformation

There could never be any doubt about Wirtz’s talent. The midfielder scored 10 goals and provided 12 assists in just 31 Bundesliga games for Bayer Leverkusen last season, and he did similarly in the previous season.

But, as has so often been explained by players who have played in it, the Premier League is a different beast in terms of physicality and quality.

That did not mean Wirtz’s talent came into question as he struggled, but rather his ability to cope with the physical demands.

Those questions have been answered in recent weeks, however, with Slot explaining before Sunday’s clash with Man City that the German has worked for it.

“First and foremost, credit to the player because he has to do the work,” he said. “Not only on the pitch but also in the gym.

“Then as a manager, even if he is struggling a little bit at the start, you have to keep playing him because that is the only way he can improve. He is an example of that.”