Former Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov says Liverpool midfielder reminds him of Luka Modric

Former Tottenham and Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has offered a glowing endorsement of Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz, sensationally comparing the German star to Spurs and Real Madrid legend Luka Modric.

Berbatov’s comments come amid increasing scrutiny over Wirtz’s start to life at Anfield following his record breaking £116m summer move from Bayer Leverkusen.

Speaking on the Rio Ferdinand Presents podcast, the Bulgarian star urged patience for the 22-year-old, whose initial spell in the Premier League has seen him fail to register a goal or assist in domestic competition.

He said: “I love him. He’s a fantastic player. He will be unbelievable, trust me. Hopefully, he will be patient. Hopefully, he’ll have good people around him, agent, family, whatever. Hopefully, the coach sees his quality like everybody sees him. I’m sure that everybody sees his quality, and they’ll give him that time that he needs to fit into the team. And I guarantee you, he’s going to be a success.”

Berbatov went on to compare the German with Luka Modric. He defended Wirtz’s relatively slight build, often cited as a concern for the Premier League’s physicality.

“The way he sees football, how he looks for the space, how he knows how to position himself, the touches on the ball, the improvisation, the eye for the pass and for the goals,” he explained.

“Of course, someone can argue that his physique is not that great for the Premier League. But then you can easily see the great players of his position, like Modric, also the same build. Modric. F****** monster. It’s unbelievable. So give him time. I think he’s going to be unbelievable for Liverpool.”

Luka Modric’s time in the Premier League with Tottenham remains one of the most fondly remembered chapters of his glittering career.

The Croatian maestro joined Spurs from Dinamo Zagreb in the summer of 2008 for around £16.5 million, arriving as a highly rated playmaker but facing questions about whether his slight frame could withstand the physical demands of English football. It didn’t take long for Modric to silence his critics.

Initially deployed in a more advanced midfield role, Modric truly flourished once Harry Redknapp shifted him into a deeper position, allowing him to dictate the tempo of matches.

His exceptional vision, technical precision, and ability to control games from midfield quickly made him the heartbeat of Tottenham’s system.

Modric’s passing range and composure under pressure brought a new level of sophistication to Spurs’ play, traits rarely seen in English football at the time.

For Wirtz to draw comparisons to a player of Modric’s calibre is a huge compliment and a testament to his natural talent. Many within the footballing world, including ex-professionals and current players, believe that Wirtz will eventually thrive at Liverpool once he adapts to the pace and intensity of the Premier League.

However, his slow start has already sparked speculation about his future at Anfield, with some reports linking him to potential interest from abroad.

Still, as Berbatov insists, Wirtz’s technical brilliance, creativity, and intelligence make him far too talented to fail in the long term.

However, the slow start has sparked speculations over his future with the Reds.

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