Rooney questions Wirtz fit as Liverpool balance under new signings

Former England and Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney has questioned Liverpool's decision to sign Florian Wirtz, saying the German's arrival has disrupted the balance of Arne Slot's side after a run of mixed results that included a Premier League defeat to Crystal Palace and a Champions League loss in Istanbul. Rooney made the comments on his show this week as Liverpool grapple with integrating a raft of attacking signings amid injuries and rotating personnel.

Rooney said Liverpool's summer overhaul, which added several forwards to an already strong frontline, has left Wirtz struggling to find a clear role. "I think Wirtz actually damages the balance of Liverpool, how they play," he said. He added that the 22 year old has plenty of ability but has had a slow start and is competing with several new arrivals and established stars for minutes. Rooney also suggested Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak were better targets for Liverpool's needs and said Dominik Szoboszlai fits Slot's system more naturally.

Wirtz joined Liverpool in the close season for a British-record fee reported at about 116 million pounds after a standout season at Bayer Leverkusen, where he scored 10 goals and...