How do you justify the unjustifiable?
Paul Pogba recorded 4 assists in one game against Leeds United in a 5-1 hammering at Old Trafford in the first game of the 2021/22 season. Graeme Souness followed this performance up by saying it shouldn’t be treated as anything special because Pogba is a £100 million player.
Moises Caicedo has been one of the best players in Europe in his position over the last 18 months whilst also being Chelsea’s most important and consistent player over the same period. Yet, pundits such as the likes of Paul Scholes will tell you that for £115 million, he should be doing more and that it’s nothing to be blown away by.
Declan Rice has given Arsenal their most memorable moment in Europe for almost 20 years whilst playing at an immensely high level since the moment he touched down at the Emirates. The English midfielder is seen by some, as one of the best 8’s in Europe however other fans and pundits will tell you that for the £105 million that the Gooners paid for him - is yet to be fully reciprocated by his performances.
Florian Wirtz is set to move to Liverpool for an alleged £128 million - making it a British transfer record. And with this transfer record, comes a wave of expectation and pressure that might be almost impossible to live up to. Both Rice and Caicedo have been some of the best in their position in the world for the last 2 years and people still aren’t satisfied. If Wirtz gets to that level, are fans and media going to be happy with him?
How good do you actually have to be to justify a price tag so colossal? Neymar’s move to PSG is the most expensive in history and although he was unanimously considered as the league’s best player every season whilst also taking his side to a Champions League final - the move in general is considered as a failure because they didn’t win it. The same case can be made for Kylian Mbappe who moved to PSG for an eye-watering €180 million.
These are players that everyone knows are amongst the best in the world and have been for a substantial amount of time, but the transfer fees they have been attached to - provide a hint of context which doesn’t look as positive on them.
This is what Wirtz has to deal with. He will now not do anything on the football pitch without people instantly referring back to that price tag. But he’s got to deal with it unfortunately. Let’s look at the best case scenario: Liverpool win the 2025/26 Premier League with Wirtz being an integral part of it and he gets himself in the PFA team of the season. Is that enough to justify the price they paid for him? No chance. This isn’t £70 million, it’s not £100 million - it’s £130 big ones and that’s almost unprecedented in this league. Wirtz has to do it again, and then do it a third time for this transfer fee to begin to make sense.
Florian Wirtz has to leave Liverpool in a decade as a Premier League all-timer and a club legend to justify this fee, whether you like it or not. There’s no doubt about the guy's ability but the odds are really stacked against him to succeed in the eyes of everyone. Whether you like him or not, you have to admit Souness had a point…
For £100 million and above - great isn’t good enough. You have to be spectacular for years to come, before anyone starts admitting that a club were right to pay such a large fee on you.
