Best CF since Suarez: Liverpool prepare bid for “ridiculous” £60m star
However, Arne Slot and his squad will also be determined to break ahead of Manchester United as the most successful outfit in the history of England’s top division.
For sure, the Merseysiders are absorbing a blow in Alexander-Arnold’s departure, with his destination set to be Real Madrid, but Liverpool have overcome adversity countless times before and are gearing up for an exciting summer of spending
Full-backs and central defenders are both needed at Anfield, but there’s no question that Slot needs a high-level centre-forward to take his project to the next level.
Darwin Nunez, sadly, isn’t cutting the mustard, paling in comparison to predecessors such as Luis Suarez and Bobby Firmino.
Darwin Nunez and the ones before
Nunez’s total transfer fee when leaving Benfica for Liverpool comes to a club-record £85m figure. This is more than Suarez (a £23m addition from Ajax), Firmino (who cost £21m in 2015) and Mohamed Salah (who joined from Roma for £34m) combined.
Sure: inflation, clauses, ifs and buts. The plain truth is that Nunez alighted on Merseyside to much fanfare and has failed to respond to the tactical demands of not one but two coaches, both illustrious Premier League champions.
After the towering achievements of central forwards such as Suarez and Firmino, Nunez always had big shoes to fill, but it’s probably fair to say he’s fallen miserably by the wayside in his efforts to succeed as Liverpool’s focal frontman.
Chance after chance after chance; miss, miss, miss. The Uruguay international has only scored 25 times in the Premier League across 92 appearances, across three years. As per Sofascore, he’s missed 53 big chances.
Erling Haaland, who arrived in England in the same transfer window as Nunez, has scored 84 goals across 94 Premier League games, missing 82 big chances.
At his best, Nunez is as tenacious as a bloodhound. His unpredictability beguiles the Liverpool supporters, strikes fear into the veins of rival fans. If he doesn’t know what’s coming next, how can his opponents?
Sadly, his methods have produced infrequent results on Merseyside, and it’s a shame to say that Slot’s smoothed-out system has actually pushed Nunez back a few steps, whereas so many others have struck a chord with the Dutchman and reached new levels
Is it any surprise he’s expected to be among the first out of the door this summer, as per Fabrizio Romano? In fact, sporting director Richard Hughes is already preparing a bid for a new phenom at number nine.
Liverpool preparing bid for new striker
Well, according to Caught Offside, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko has been identified as the man for the job. Though Arsenal are said to be ‘particularly keen’ on the Slovenia international, Liverpool are warming to the idea of signing Sesko as an alternative to Isak.
While Leipzig are holding out for more, suitors have made it clear that they are willing to pay €70m (about £60m) for the 21-year-old but no more.
In fact, the report claims that the suitors, also made up of Chelsea and Manchester United, are actually preparing bids as you read these words.
Why Benjamin Sesko would be perfect for Liverpool
Nunez hasn’t grown into the complete and devastating striker Jurgen Klopp thought he saw in Benfica’s raw, thrash-metal prospect. He certainly hasn’t reached the levels of his countryman, Suarez.
No one expected the 25-year-old to hit such staggering levels, but Slot is searching for a centre-forward who can provide some of the same gusto and guile in the final third, with Suarez one of the trickiest and most dynamic forwards in the business.
Given that Firmino was never really Liverpool’s principal goalscorer and instead a sort of connective conduit who elevated Salah and Sadio Mane, only scoring 111 goals across 362 fixtures (0.31 per game), Sesko could become Liverpool’s most prolific central goalscorer since Suarez, should he make the move to Merseyside this summer
The Slovenia international is still so young but already boasts an impressive track record in Germany, scoring 39 goals and supplying eight assists for Leipzig across 85 matches, winning this year’s DFL-Supercup.
He’s powerful, pacy and ever-improving, ranking among the top 12% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, while exceeding his xG (expected goals) haul by 0.14 goals per game
This basically means he is driving into the danger area with consistency and making excellent use of the opportunities that fall into his path.
Analyst Ben Mattinson has also commented on the rising star’s “ridiculous” ball-striking power, so deadly when accurately channelled
On top of all this, Sesko has scored 16 times in the Bundesliga this season while only missing 14 big chances. Detractors will point out the several chances that have gone begging this term, but the proof is in the pudding here, and he’s not yet even half-baked.
Suarez is one of the deadliest marksmen of his generation, hailed by Steven Gerrard as “the best I’ve played with.”
Sesko would need to shift quite the haul to reach the same lofty standard, but he’s definitely got the potential to become something special, outstripping Nunez and maybe even rivalling Suarez down the line too