Florian Wirtz is still battling to live up to the expectations set upon him when he joined Liverpool last summer, with a huge spotlight on his performances this season

Liverpool icon Dietmar Hamann believes that Florian Wirtz has lost "belief" in his abilities at the club, while suggesting that the playmaker may not reach the heights many hoped he would on Merseyside.

That follows a difficult first campaign for the Germany international, which has been followed up by a relatively slow start to this season across all competitions. Debate has raged surrounding the 23-year-old, with some supporting the star and backing him to make an impact at some point soon, while others have firmly lost patience and expect much more from him at this point.

There have been more positive signs in the past week, as Wirtz showed his quality in a win over LASK in the Champions League, before dictating play in a triumph against Brentford over the weekend.

It's a start for the attacking midfielder, something to build on and a way for him to gain some much-needed momentum ahead of a tough run of fixtures.

While those performances could give Wirtz the platform from which to build on, former star Hamann is far more concerned about what the future hold for the playmaker at Liverpool.

Speaking to GiveMeSport, he said: "In terms of Wirtz and his time in a Liverpool shirt, it's been tough, and I wanted to see Iraola get the best out of him.

"The manager said when he came in, he would play in the number ten position, but his performance hasn't been better than last season.

"I know how talented he is and what he is capable of, but I think he has lost all faith and belief in his abilities. I don't think he believes he can cut it in the Premier League. I don't see it happening for Wirtz at Liverpool."

It's quite a worrying prediction for Wirtz, though one that he himself may not agree with, as he continues to push on and tries to show his best side each time he steps out onto the pitch.

The games against both LASK and Brentford showed signs that the confidence is there, so long as there is support and space available to him.

However, that comes with the understanding that one display was against weaker opposition, and the other was up against a team that was reduced to ten men.

It remains to be seen whether Wirtz can build on that, with tougher challenges to come, but if he fails to, then perhaps it will point towards a future away from the club.