Liverpool line up move for Nunez upgrade who’s the “next Mbappe”

The Premier League champions have defied pre-season predictions to take gold medals this season. Nonetheless, Arne Slot’s Liverpool have their work reduce out this summer season.

It is curious {that a} title-winning staff with such depth and steadiness in assault have discovered repeated calls in latest months for upgrades within the closing third.

Liverpool, in spite of everything, have outscored their divisional rivals after which some this season. Furthermore, Mohamed Salah is definitely going to finish a clear sweep of particular person accolades after his unimaginable marketing campaign.

However a number of stars have not lived as much as the billing, with Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota’s woes accentuating the necessity for an out-and-out striker.

Credit score to Luis Diaz, whose versatility and tireless efforts have been essential in Slot setting his title alongside the illustrious checklist of Premier League-winning managers; nonetheless, he isn’t a real quantity 9 and he is gone stretches of the marketing campaign with out discovering the again of the web.

Liverpool must signal a centre-forward, however they should not signal Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak. Large declare, however here is why.

Why Liverpool should not signal Isak

If we’re going purely off suitability inside Slot’s system and the extent of high quality Liverpool wish to increase their ranks with, Isak could be the right summer season signing.

Nonetheless, FSG merely will not authorise a package deal in extra of £150m to carry him to Merseyside, which is what Newcastle are more likely to demand in the event that they qualify for the Champions League.

And provided that the Magpies are third within the Premier League with 4 video games to go, they’ve an actual probability to say a seat again at Europe’s elite desk.

Hark again two years. In April 2023, Liverpool pulled out of the race to signal Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham, involved in regards to the funds concerned in hanging a deal and Actual Madrid’s vested curiosity.

This was met with derision from rivals, however FSG knew what they had been doing. A spread of signings had been wanted to refurnish the midfield, and who can say the choice was a poor one? Now, Liverpool are champions, having lifted the Carabao Cup final 12 months.

The identical outlook have to be utilized to Isak’s state of affairs. The Sweden star has been “the most effective striker within the Premier League” this season, within the view of Jamie Carragher, however he isn’t the one goalscorer out there, and bagging him would probably come on the expense of much-needed funding throughout different areas.

Fortunately, Liverpool usually are not so blinkered as to position all eggs in a single basket.

Liverpool scouting thrilling striker

As per The Telegraph’s Chris Bascombe, Liverpool could nicely flip their consideration to Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike as they (probably) shut the door on Newcastle’s star striker.

Nonetheless, FSG’s chiefs are understood to have inner reservations about forking out a determine which may stand at £80m for a uncooked expertise whose qualities haven’t but been solidified on the highest stage over a confirmed variety of years.

The frustrations behind the failed shot at Nunez nonetheless reside within the membership’s thoughts, however Liverpool have doubled down on their data-driven method since Klopp’s departure and Ekitike ticks plenty of bins.

He ticks plenty of bins for a number of high-level suitors, although, with Arsenal and Manchester United each additionally reportedly eager on hanging a deal.

What Hugo Ekitike would carry to Anfield

Frankfurt signed the 22-year-old Ekitike from Paris Saint-Germain on mortgage for the second half of the 2023/24 season earlier than his deal was made everlasting for a reported €35m (£30m) charge final summer season.

At all times nicely regarded for his gifted expertise on the ball, his multi-faceted attacking method, Ekitike has gone from power to power since transferring to Germany, thriving as the primary man after languishing on the periphery of PSG’s swollen ranks.

In keeping with analyst Ben Mattinson, Ekitike is “top-of-the-line strikers on the market” proper now, scoring 22 objectives and supplying ten extra assists throughout 45 matches in all competitions. He is definitely making waves, with journalist Graeme Bailey citing a number of years in the past the truth that many in France really feel he could possibly be “the subsequent Mbappe.”

He netted a improbable purpose within the first leg of Frankfurt’s Europa League quarter-final tie towards Tottenham Hotspur, although didn’t advance to the penultimate stage.

Liverpool have an interest not simply because he has the trimmings of a first-class goalscorer, however boasts a dynamic vary of qualities. As per FBref, the Les Bleus star ranks among the many prime 4% of forwards throughout Europe’s prime 5 leagues over the previous 12 months for photographs taken, the highest 7% for shot-creating actions, the highest 5% for progressive carries and the highest 4% for profitable take-ons per 90.

What an fascinating profile. Direct however easy in his darts into the hazard space, Ekitike is an suave dribbler and clever in his decision-making beneath stress, hailed for his “unimaginable” high quality by teammate Rasmus Kristensen.

These qualities have really led the data-driven website to report Isak as Ekitike’s most statistically comparable participant. The plot very a lot thickens, then. You possibly can see why Liverpool are so eager to snap this younger expertise up, changing Nunez with an thrilling new striker.

Ekitike is not Isak Lite, per se, however he is positively not on the extent of the 25-year-old, whose completeness is actually a factor to behold. After all, goalscoring is Isak’s bread and butter, scoring 22 Premier League objectives this season (his one-term report) and lacking simply 18 large possibilities, as per Sofascore.

Such a conversion charge is spectacular, for certain, however Ekitike’s showcasing his personal model of ball-striking potential within the Bundesliga, with 15 objectives put away and solely 13 large possibilities missed.

Similarities there, however Isak additionally ranks among the many prime 14% of strikers for each assists and shot-creating actions, the highest 7% for progressive carries and the highest 8% for profitable take-ons per 90 (additionally FBref).

Isak’s the dream, however desires are so typically rooted in unreality, and Ekitike could be a extra pragmatic signing who may nonetheless flip right into a world-class participant beneath the wing of Slot.

All of the whereas guaranteeing there’s ample room to make essential enhancements throughout the park.