Liverpool ‘in transfer race’ for £85m ace who could revive Nunez

LiverpoolHis impeccable form on the continent continued on Tuesday night, with LOSC Lille’s 22-game unbeaten run ended at Anfield.

Mohamed Salah joined the scorers and ended his disastrous streak of two games without a goal. This is ridiculous, of course, but perhaps indicative of the insane standards the Egyptian star has set for himself.

WITH 22 goals and 17 assists in all competitions for Arne SlottIn the side this season, Salah is leading the charge towards glory. Liverpool are six points clear (with a game in hand) at the top Premier League and they didn’t drop a single point in Europe, seven wins out of seven.

FSG perhaps they know that some fans may expect signings this year, namely in defense and perhaps a new number six to facilitate Ryan Gravenberch‘s load – the Dutchman has started every match between the first division and the Champions League in 2024/25.

But if there is an opportunity to reinforce, Liverpool will pounce. After all, there could be little change within the final third…

Why Liverpool want a new striker

Salah’s contract expires at the end of the season, but Liverpool are optimistic that their greatest modern goalscorer will extend his contract.

Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo they share the left flank, but Liverpool’s Colombian sensation could be on the move in the coming years, or, perhaps, months.

Barcelona has a long-standing interest in the 28-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of the 2026/27 season. A decision needs to be made about his future, whether a significant contract will be concluded or FSG they will cash in for maximum value and direct that profit towards a new and younger replacement.

Reorientation to the center of the front line, Darwin Nunez he has been linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League, but eased the displeasure over his name after scoring a stunning goal past Brentford goalkeeper Mark Flekken last week to seal three priceless Premier League points.

He may be sold, but if not, the Reds could find their club record scorer revived to full capacity if Diaz is replaced by a more creative and younger winger.

Liverpool are fielding Bundesliga stars

According to Caught OffsideLiverpool are interested in signing Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens, who is enjoying a torrid season in Germany.

It was German correspondent Christian Falk with the exclusive, who wrote in his Caught Offside column that the Merseysiders were ‘in the transfer race.’

However, Bayern Munich are thought to be in the lead, with Premier League rivals Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United also interested.

Of course, Dortmund don’t want to lose one of their biggest talents as he begins to rise to the fore, and have slapped a €100m (around £85m) price tag on his signature.

Sporting director Richard Hughes will have to negotiate a more favorable figure, to be sure.

What Jamie Gittens would bring to Liverpool

Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley described Gittens as “England’s best left-back in 2024/25”, such is the level of youth football at the Yellow Wall.

In all competitions, Gittens has scored 11 goals and added five assists for Nuri Sahin’s side this season, unusually managing to balance their results in the Bundesliga and Champions League.

Oftentimes, up-and-coming prospects will go with the flow of the competition and strive for prominence, but Gittens has proven he has an elite mentality to match the skill set, eager to impress on the biggest stage.

We’ve already been reminded of Barcelona’s perennial interest in Diaz, but Gittens could be the perfect replacement, should he be sold, potentially boasting qualities that would better serve Nunez, unlocking the full range of the Uruguayan’s abilities.

As you can see, Gittens is a bit more of a natural creative force, stronger in his approach to carrying the ball and also more combative, despite his youth.

It’s safe to say that Nunez would benefit from this more energetic presence. Of course, this does not mean that Diaz is a stagnant player; he is far from it. However, the lopsided nature of Liverpool’s play across the front line may be something that contributes to putting the centre-forward out of contention.

Moreover, Gittens has shown that he can focus his creativity to even greater effect, collecting eight assists in 18 starts for Dortmund last term.

Nunez has scored only six goals for Liverpool this season. He wasn’t as wasteful in front of goal as in Klopp’s more frenetic system, but attempts to direct the maverick produced average results.

There’s a really good argument to be made that they should sell him this summer and bring in a new, more prolific replacement. However, perhaps the start of a new chapter was hatched at the Gtech Community Stadium last week, with Nunez’s confidence now rekindled.

Since then he has struggled against Lille, but not without success. Ian Doyle of the Liverpool Echo gave the 25-year-old a 7/10 match rating, praising his intensity and link-up with Salah.

It is a start, on which Nunez must build, but the truth is that he does not receive the greatest favor from Diaz, who for all his energy and technical quality is not the most capable playmaker, only he assisted 16 goals in 127 matches with Liverpool.

Gittens is also a more powerful dribbler, ranking in the top 7% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues in the past year for progressive conversion and top 2% for successful take-ons per 90, according to FBref.

Diaz, on the contrary, is among the top 23% and 25% for the same metrics. He’s a speedy threat, but could project himself onto defenders with a little more regularity.

Hailed as a “special” player written by Fabrizio RomanoGittens is the future on the line, but he’s also proving he can throw it around with the biggest and best combinations Europe has to offer, and could be a credit to Liverpool’s first team for years to come.

Gakpo certainly isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, so he could take Gittens under his proverbial wing. Who knows, it might be the dynamic signing that will lift Nunez towards the peak of his powers, which Anfield has yet to witness.