Liverpool could ditch Nunez with move for £80m Foden & Saka hybrid

Liverpool are making headway underneath Arne Slot however some outdated habits die laborious. Darwin Nunez, for instance, is struggling to shake his inconsistency and runs the chance of ostracising himself from the beginning XI, for Diogo Jota is the nailed-on focal frontman in the mean time.

And that is regarding. Nunez joined Liverpool from Benfica in a deal rising to a club-record £85m in 2022, however he has solely began one Premier League match this season as he performs second fiddle.

The Uruguay worldwide is now in his third season and needs to be having fun with a task of better significance. He is solely scored 21 targets from 69 matches within the English high flight and has missed a whopping 47 massive possibilities in that timeframe, as per Sofascore.

The injury-prone Jota has solely scored 19 Premier League targets throughout the identical interval, albeit that includes way more occasionally and lacking simply 18 massive possibilities apart from. There is a stark polarity in composure and precision with regards to these key moments, with Nunez failing to successfully promote his high quality in opposition to that of his friends.

Ought to the 25-year-old fail to carry all of it collectively, there’s an actual likelihood he’ll discover himself bought. Slot takes no prisoners and Liverpool are fielding curiosity from some European heavyweights.

Liverpool switch information

In accordance with Spanish sources from final month, Atletico Madrid are contemplating shifting for Nunez to exchange Antoine Griezmann, with the 33-year-old at present within the penultimate 12 months of his contract.

Nunez is perhaps wasteful in entrance of aim however he’s immensely proficient and fiercely aggressive in his attacking efforts, and Liverpool have thus made it clear that bids should whole €70m (£59m) for his departure to be thought-about.

Barcelona are additionally admirers: Robert Lewandowski remains to be probably the greatest strikers on the earth, however he is 36 and successful plan is being thought-about.

Ought to all this fall into place, Liverpool ought to transfer for Florian Wirtz, who may not be a like-for-like substitute however will surely inject some world-class high quality into Slot’s already glorious frontline.

How Florian Wirtz would slot in at Liverpool

Wirtz is likely one of the hottest skills on the globe, successful the German Bundesliga Participant of the Season final 12 months as he supercharged Bayer Leverkusen’s invincible and title-winning marketing campaign, ending Bayern Munich’s 11-year dynasty.

In accordance with a report from Caught Offside only some weeks in the past, Liverpool are scorching on his path and can look to pounce if the chance to signal the German arises, although Xabi Alonso’s outfit will demand a price in extra of £80m to half methods with their linchpin.

He is fairly the participant. The 21-year-old has already suffered a long-term damage in his fledgling profession however was merely breathtaking in his performances final time period, scoring 18 targets and supplying 20 assists throughout 49 matches in all competitions, additionally successful the DFB-Pokal, which is the German equal of the FA Cup.

This season, the versatile attacking midfielder – who can even carry out at centre-forward – has began with renewed prolificness, scoring 4 targets throughout his opening six Bundesliga appearances, additionally averaging 3.2 key passes, three dribbles and 5.7 profitable duels per fixture.

With Participant of the Match awards in every of Leverkusen’s opening Champions League video games of the season – his first foray into the competitors – Wirtz’s star issue has been underscored.

It is no shock that followers and critics alike have rhapsodised over his performances. Expertise scout Jacek Kulig, for instance, has hailed him as a “little genius”.

What a footballer. Wirtz is seemingly tailored for a profession within the Premier League, for he carries among the most interesting traits of each Bukayo Saka and Phil Foden, two of the division’s most interesting.

A Foden & Saka hybrid

Soccer followers are fickle. Foden has taken pictures on numerous on-line platforms of late after beginning the 2024/25 marketing campaign slowly, however there’s little query that this man carries considered one of English soccer’s most proficient skillsets.

In any case, did he not win the Premier League Participant of the 12 months award for 2023/24, scoring 19 targets and clinching his sixth title? Is he not essentially the most balletic and sensible of gamers, able to hurting opponents in some ways?

And Saka. A participant to marvel over. He is exuded pure playmaking excellence throughout the opening months of the present time period, supercharging Mikel Arteta’s third shot on the Premier League title. With three targets and 7 assists from ten matches in all competitions, his affect is actually nonpareil.

Wrap them into one, why do not you, Arne? Wirtz will reward Liverpool among the greatest attributes of each stars, will full the Reds’ frontline with essentially the most prodigious of gamers.

FBref’s complete statistical database has crunched the numbers and communicated that Foden and Saka are each gamers of an identical likeness to the German worldwide, whose breezy gait, incisive capturing and inventive spark current him to be a kind of hybrid of the 2 skills.

Saka is perhaps just a little bit extra productive along with his playmaking, and Foden, for positive, is essentially the most pure goalscorer of the three, however Wirtz far outstrips each in regard to the majority of the underlying metrics.

He’d be a credit score to Liverpool’s first group, maybe the catalyst for illustrious success underneath Slot’s wing. He would not fairly be a direct substitute for a star comparable to Nunez, but when Liverpool have been to lose their mercurial striker, this might be the marquee switch to take care of and maybe even increase the capability of the membership’s attacking line.