Liverpool head coach Andoni Iraola is ‘beginning to lose patience’ with Florian Wirtz and has called on the Reds hierarchy to replace him with Fermin Lopez, according to reports.

The Reds invested £116m in signing Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2025 with great things expected from the Germany international.

Wirtz won the Bundesliga title with Bayer Leverkusen before joining Liverpool, contributing ten goals and 12 assists in 31 league matches that season.

His move to Anfield has not gone to plan with the Germany international disappointing last term as Liverpool regressed under Arne Slot.

Not much has changed for Wirtz under new manager Iraola with the Germany international facing more criticism this season for his performances.

It has got to the point where Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher thinks Iraola should be dropping Wirtz after watching the German in the Reds’ 3-0 defeat to Manchester City last weekend.

Carragher said on Sky Sports: “He shouldn’t be in the Liverpool team right now. I don’t want to hammer Liverpool players. But we’re not saying this after five-ten games, we’re saying this after 50-60 games.

“Wirtz never looks like scoring a goal. You don’t come away thinking he missed chances or he worked the goalkeeper.

“There was absolutely nothing today where you thought he put someone through, or nearly scored. There’s absolutely no goal threat whatsoever.”

And now reports in Spain are claiming that Iraola is ‘beginning to lose patience’ with Wirtz with the Liverpool hierarchy ‘baffled by the German international’s struggles’.

Borussia Dortmund, Newcastle United, Al-Hilal, and Chelsea are all named amongst Wirtz’s admirers and Liverpool ‘already have their sights set on his potential replacement’ in Barcelona midfielder Fermin.

Iraola has ‘asked’ Liverpool to make an effort to sign the Spain international as he is ‘convinced that the Barça star would adapt much more easily’.

It is understood that Iraola is ‘confident’ that Barcelona will accept an offer from Liverpool if the Merseysiders’ board can reach €140m (£118m) for Fermin.

The report adds: ‘He [Iraola] knows it will be very difficult to reach an agreement with Joan Laporta and Deco, but he’s confident that a formal offer valued at around €140 million, including fixed and variable fees, will be enough to open the doors at the Camp Nou.

‘Fermín, on the other hand, would be guaranteed an astronomical salary, which would make him the highest paid player at the ‘Reds’, and an ambitious project.’

Liverpool flop Wirtz is the same profile as Coutinho – Saunders

Former Liverpool striker Dean Saunders insists that Wirtz reminds him of Philippe Coutinho, who became a key player for the Reds.

Saunders told BetSelect.co.uk: “When you have a player like Florian Wirtz – a bit like Liverpool had with Coutinho – it’s hard to be solid as a team. On the other hand, if you’re solid enough but you’re not creating chances, then you need a player like him. Liverpool were winning games 3-2 and 4-3 with Coutinho in the side. They were scoring loads but still letting goals in because they had another player who was ahead of the ball all the time.

“Wirtz is that same profile. If he is going to be the spare man and be allowed to roam around the pitch, he has to start producing. Playing number 10 is the golden ticket for a football player. You don’t have to run back or play with your back to goal and you don’t really have to score that many. However, you have to create chances.

“He is obviously a skilful creative player and he is normally involved in Liverpool’s best moves. One thing that went under the radar was him getting across the near post against Bournemouth for Alexander Isak’s goal. As a striker, I liked that. A lot of players don’t like getting in the six-yard box for fear of getting hurt, so that’s a good sign of his bravery. The danger with him is that he does look like a bit of a lightweight.

“I think all Liverpool fans still really want him to do well. His attitude seems good and you can see he’s trying hard, but it’s getting to the point where he needs to start producing. The price tag means he needs to be scoring 15 and assisting 15 goals this season.”