Former Liverpool player Šmicer says Iraola needs to find a way to unlock Wirtz and can no longer leave him playing on the left wing.

Šmicer, the 2005 Champions League winner, hopes Iraola can make Wirtz the cornerstone of Liverpool's rebuild. Wirtz joined Liverpool 12 months ago, with The Reds agreeing to a deal with Leverkusen worth up to £116 million, but he has had a difficult season at Anfield, with the German international only showing his quality in sporadic periods.

The number 7 has scored 7 goals and provided 8 assists across all competitions, but early in the season, he struggled to adapt to the pace and physicality of the Premier League. Liverpool's performance under Slot also declined, with Slot sacked at the end of May. Šmicer, who made 184 appearances for Liverpool, believes that a player like Wirtz should not be deployed in a position that undermines his effectiveness, and he argues that Iraola must find the role that best utilizes the characteristics of the £116 million player.

Šmicer said in an interview: "I think the transfer fee from Leverkusen to Liverpool was very high, and Wirtz is under tremendous pressure. People have calculated how much his goals and assists are worth. But for a player like him, there will always be pressure. You have to perform for Liverpool, and now for Germany, and people will have high expectations of him."

"At Euro two years ago, the expectations on him were not as high, but this time he is two years older and more experienced. They need to build the German team around him. At Leverkusen, the team was built for him; he could move freely, surrounded by wingers and attacking midfielders. At Liverpool, we've been trying to find his best position all season. He has played on the right wing, left wing, behind the striker, and even as a center forward."

"If you spend 130 million euros on a player, you have to put him in the position he prefers and build the team around him. If you buy Wirtz and make him play as a left winger, you're wasting that money. You need to let him play where he's best, and then adjust the other players accordingly."

Šmicer added: "If you spend that much money on Alexander Isak or Wirtz, you have to put them in their best positions—that's the hardest part. If you play Wirtz as a winger, he will never perform at his best. He will still perform, but not at his peak. So I hope that whether it's him or the German national team, they will let him play in the position that suits him best so he can perform."

"I think he enjoys playing for Liverpool, but of course, when he's deployed on the left wing, he just wants to get through the job. You don't have the same confidence and feeling when playing in a different position. I just hope Iraola can find his position. I think his best position is behind the striker. Give him freedom, and he should be able to perform. If not, it will be very difficult."

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