Arne Slot will go into the market - Liverpool star has not become the player a lot of people thought
Former Liverpool midfielder Danny Murphy speaks to LiverpoolWorld on one position Arne Slot could look to bolster.
Danny Murphy believes that Liverpool will be in the market for a new striker in the summer transfer window with Darwin Nunez ‘not kicking on’.
Nunez is in his third season at Anfield since arriving from Benfica in the summer of 2023 for what could become a club-record fee of £85 million. He moved to the Reds against the backdrop of plundering 34 goals for the Portuguese side in the 2022-23 campaign.
But Nunez has largely struggled for consistency at Liverpool. This term, he has netted six times in 29 outings and made just seven starts in the Premier League title race. Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz have largely been preferred in the centre-forward role. However, Jota has again struggled for fitness and is back on the treatment table while Diaz is a natural winger.
And as Liverpool lack a striker who is both regularly available and puts the ball in the back of the net, Murphy reckons a new addition could be a priority for head coach Arne Slot at the end of the season.
The former Reds midfielder told LiverpoolWorld: “I think it's looking like that will be an area that Slot will be looking at. It doesn't seem that Darwin Nunez is at the top of Slot's selection list. Every time there’s a big game; he tends to go for Luis Diaz or Diogo Jota down the middle. So, that tells its own story in many ways, the only real way I can see Liverpool not prioritising in a striker is if Darwin Nunez has a finish to the season that really impacts Liverpool's success.
“Whether that be he gets a run in the team and scores the goals that fire Liverpool to win the Champions League or the Premier League. I remember Divok Origi being a Liverpool legend now in many ways, and he hardly played. Everyone kept him because of his efficiency when he came off the bench.
“So, if Nunez has an amazing finish to the season and kicked on a little bit, then maybe they'll analyse it differently and think we'll keep him and work with him. But my gut feeling is that I think Slot will probably go into the market.
“It seems logical because Nunez has been there a while now and not kicked on and not actually become the player a lot of people thought he would. Although he's got loads of real good qualities and strengths, Liverpool needs a striker that’s a bit more reliable in front of goal.
“People are right to point out Jota and his injuries, it's been consistent since he's been at the club that he really struggles to maintain a good number of games. So, if you want to be successful and stay at the top of the table in terms of winning leagues and Champions Leagues, then it wouldn't surprise me at all if Liverpool are in a market for a striker.”
In total, Nunez has registered 39 goals and 21 assists in 125 appearances for Liverpool. Murphy was speaking to LiverpoolWorld on behalf of Betway.