Liverpool manager Arne Slot has used Manchester City icon Kevin De Bruyne as a shining example of why it is far too early to judge the career of Florian Wirtz.

Just as De Bruyne endured a slow start to his Premier League career after joining Chelsea in 2013, Wirtz has failed to live up to lofty expectation across his opening few weeks in England. The former Bundesliga champion and German Footballer of the Year is yet to score for Liverpool and hasn’t created a goal for any of his illustrious teammates since his debut in August’s Community Shield.

Jamie Carragher was one of multiple pundits who called for Wirtz to be taken out of Slot’s starting lineup during a run of three successive defeats for Liverpool heading into October’s international break. Several other prominent figures have presented more measured assessments of the 22-year-old’s adaptation to a new country, team and system while Slot launched an impassioned defence of his £116 million ($155.6 million) summer recruit.

“If you’ve been brought in for so much money, people look mainly at goals and assists, but I can tell you he could be on six or seven assists already,” Slot argued to Sky Sports.

“He’s been a bit unlucky with the finishing when he’s given his teammates chances but, in general for a 22-year-old, it’s quite normal that you have to adjust to going to another country let alone going to the Premier League.”

Slot turned to the example of De Bruyne as inspiration for Wirtz—and a warning for those vocal critics. “Maybe I’m now underestimating the best midfielder who has ever played in the Premier League, Kevin De Bruyne, he was 21 or 22 when he went to Chelsea [and struggled],” Slot noted. “Give him a bit of time, I would say. I’m definitely going to give him a bit of time and in the meantime, he’s been unlucky.”

Wirtz vs. De Bruyne

Kevin De Bruyne at Chelsea.
Kevin De Bruyne did not impress at Chelsea. | DON EMMERT/AFP/Getty Images

The difference between Wirtz and De Bruyne is that Slot has full faith in his spindly German playmaker while José Mourinho could not guarantee the future Premier League icon a regular starting role. De Bruyne would ultimately leave Chelsea for Wolfsburg before returning to England to conquer all before him at the epicentre of Manchester City’s recent hegemony.

Unlike Mourinho, Slot has no intention of benching Wirtz. “He has to play and he’s played a lot,” the Dutch boss explained. “Because he’s come from a different league and played so many games, it’s quite normal that once in a while he needs a game where he doesn’t play like I’ve done with Mo Salah and many others.

“To get the best out of him, it’s of course necessary for him to play and that’s what he did and what he’s going to do in the upcoming weeks.”

Virgil van Dijk: Wirtz Needs to Be Happy Off the Pitch to Excel On It

Van Dijk, who joined Liverpool for a swollen transfer fee himself in 2018, argued that as long as Wirtz’s private life is settled, he will soon silence the public debate surrounding his performances.

“The main thing is when new players are coming in, as when I came in for a lot of money, is that you feel welcomed, you feel calm, your home situation is sorted, your family is happy,” the Dutch defender outlined. “If that is good, then you’ll be able to excel.

“On top of that, in any profession, you need a bit of time to adjust, to get to know your colleagues, what they like to do, and also the demands of the Premier League and being at Liverpool. It’s absolutely normal.”

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Florian Wirtz Urged to Follow Example of Premier League Legend by Arne Slot.