Recently, former Spanish and Barcelona midfielder Gaizka Mendieta stated that Liverpool should consider exchanging Florian Wirtz for Real Madrid forward Vinícius Júnior, insisting the Brazilian would shine brightly at Anfield. Since joining Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £116 million this summer, Wirtz has had a tough start in the Premier League, failing to score or assist in 11 appearances.
The 23-year-old missed the previous two games due to a muscle issue but may return to Arne Slot’s squad for Sunday’s Premier League clash against West Ham United. Even if he comes back, his place in the starting lineup remains uncertain given his current form, which has been under intense scrutiny and criticism.
Meanwhile, Mendieta proposed that Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso—who previously worked with Wirtz at Leverkusen—could help revitalize the German’s career. Wirtz spent five years at Leverkusen, three of which were under the Spanish coach.
“Why not swap Wirtz for Vinícius? Seriously, why not?” Mendieta said. “Right now, I think Wirtz moving to Real Madrid makes more sense than Vinícius coming to Liverpool, but I believe this swap would suit both parties.
“We’ve seen it before—when a coach rates a player highly and knows exactly how to get the best out of them, they want to work with them again. Wirtz was a leader at Leverkusen, and while there are many variables, we’ve witnessed similar situations in the past.
“At Real Madrid, the question is where he would play and who he would replace. They already have a wealth of talent—Rodrygo, Vinícius, Bellingham, Valverde—so the midfield is particularly crowded.”
Mendieta added: “But we’ve seen players and coaches reunite later in their careers, so you never know. With the right support in the Premier League, Vinícius would thrive. By support, I mean the club believing in him—he’s clearly an exceptional player. The Premier League has a physical side, and he’s obviously a strong player too.
“I think he would succeed. I’d love to see Vinícius in the Premier League. I believe it would be an excellent challenge for him as a player.”
