As silly as the statement is, the weight of a shirt weighs on players like a price tag, and Liverpool’s persuaders aren’t exempt from placing a premium on shirt numbers.
Steven Gerrard may have immortalized No. 8 in the 21st century, but it is No. 7 that remains this The Anfield jersey has been passed down by many Merseyside greats.
From the late great Kevin Keegan, to ‘King Kenny’ Dalglish and even Luis Suarez, some of the club’s brightest talents have shone while wearing the number seven shirt.
There is still a lot to achieve for current manager Florian Wirtz, with the £116million German having struggled for the Reds so far.
How does Wirtz compare to recent Liverpool No.7s?
For some, jersey numbers don’t matter, and when a jersey has been worn by many legends from the past, it does provide a sense of responsibility to those who follow it.
As far as Wirtz is concerned, his high price may be a bigger obstacle to defeating him. The 23-year-old only scored and assisted 8 Premier League goals in his first season at the club.
That’s well below the lofty standards he previously set in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen, and well below the record of his successor in the No. 7 jersey, Luis Diaz.
The Colombian now leaves arguably more admired than he was at Anfield, although his performances in the title-winning 2024/25 campaign, in which he scored and assisted 18 goals, are particularly telling.
Diaz(24/25) VS Wirtz(25/26) | ||
|---|---|---|
Diaz | Statistics (*per game) | Wirtz |
36 | game | 33 |
13 | Target | 5 |
11 | missed opportunity | 8 |
5 | Assist | 3 |
8 | created huge opportunities | 5 |
1.6 | Key Pass* | 1.8 |
86 | Pass accuracy* | 85% |
1.5 | success. Dribbling* | 1.2 |
3.8 | Total number of duels won* | 3.0 |
8.4 | Lost the ball* | 11.5 |
Diaz, now at Bayern Munich, only pulled on the jersey himself in 2023, following the departure of cult hero James Milner, the long-serving midfielder who had been a constant presence in a number of positions for Liverpool.
Milner isn’t the most glamorous name to receive the honour, but he was integral to the club’s rise under Jurgen Klopp, even playing as a left-back in the early years.
Even the English can’t come close to Suarez’s genius, however, the Uruguayan is undoubtedly the best of Liverpool’s current number seven.
In that sense, Wirtz still has a big hole to fill, although if he continues to underperform, the Reds may already have the perfect successor.
Liverpool sensation could become Anfield’s future number seven
Wirtz’s form has once again become a key talking point ahead of the extended international break, with club legend Jamie Carragher saying after the narrow defeat to Bournemouth that the playmaker should not be in the squad in his current form.
Andoni Iraola has stuck with him so far, but with just one assist in five Premier League starts this season, it’s not something worth reading, especially considering he’s now had a year in English football.
There’s also the issue that Liverpool don’t have a quality replacement in the No. 10 position, especially with Harvey Elliott on loan again, leaving Illaura with no options in this department.
Perhaps, if Wirtz’s woes continue, it could force Illaura’s side to take another look at their academy squad, having handed playing time to the likes of Trey Nyoni, James McConnell and Lewis Koumas in recent weeks.
It is hoped that the likes of Eric Farkas, with the 17-year-old completing his Merseyside career just last week, could soon be the next to drop.
The Hungarian-born midfielder played for the England youth team and was hailed as a true superstar by those familiar with the matter and praised by journalist Bence Bosak as “One of the most unique figures in English football“.
The teenager looks as comfortable as a No. 8 or No. 10, suggesting he could soon be a direct threat to Wirtz.
In fact, Farkas has made a good start to the new season, scoring in each of the past three U18 Premier League games and also providing more assists.
The youngster has played in a more advanced midfield position in his last two games against Burnley and Derby County, showing why Bosak believes he is the “ideal No. 10”.
Of course, this is in terms of position rather than jersey number, and Farkas is the kind of outstanding technical talent who could indeed become a future star in the first team, with the way he floats around the pitch almost “like a typical Spanish midfielder” in Bosac’s opinion.
He still needs to take that step at U21 level, according to Transfermarkt, although his record at U18 level does stand out, with 11 goals and 11 assists in 23 games for that age group.
He is a joy to watch and can often be seen receiving the ball on half-turn and then charging at the opponent at will, while boasting of being cool-headed and able to recognize the man in front of him.
Although Farkas is only 17 years old, he was certainly one to keep an eye on after occasionally wearing the number seven shirt with the youth teams last season. Wirtz better watch out.