Empire of the Kop
·12 December 2024
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Yahoo sportsEmpire of the Kop
·12 December 2024
According to reports from Brazil, Liverpool have their sights set on adding to the South American contingent at Anfield in 2025.
The Reds’ attacking options have largely delivered for Arne Slot this season, with Mo Salah leading the way on 16 goals, while Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo have 17 between them. Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota have seven combined, a tally which’d surely be higher if the latter hadn’t been sidelined through injury (Transfermarkt).
However, it appears that the Premier League leaders could be in the market for another forward next year, and the player they have in mind is already acquainted with the English top flight.
Brazilian outlet UOL reported that Liverpool have Brighton attacker Joao Pedro near the top of their transfer priority list in 2025, so much so that they intend to commence negotiations in January with a view to a summer move.
The 23-year-old has been on the radar at Anfield ever since he first came to England in 2020, when he joined Watford from Fluminense in his native Brazil.
It’s claimed that he fits the profile of centre-forward that Slot is seeking, namely a prolific goalscorer who’s also willing to drop deep and contribute to the team’s link-up play, much like compatriot Bobby Firmino did so expertly for the Reds in previous years.
(Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)
With Nunez struggling for goals this season and Jota worryingly prone to injury setbacks, we can see why Liverpool would be in the market for a centre-forward in 2025, and they’ve also been strongly linked with Eintracht Frankfurt hotshot Omar Marmoush in recent weeks.
The Egyptian has a remarkable tally of 17 goals in 21 games already this season, not far off Pedro’s return of 24 in 49 appearances for Brighton since his £30m transfer from Watford last year.
Marmoush’s scoring return is evidently superior, hence why he’d likely be the preferred option for many Reds supporters, but the Seagulls attacker is no slouch either.
The 23-year-old’s haul at the Amex Stadium is quite good, and he’s already nicely acclimatised to the Premier League. Plus, he was hailed as a ‘complete player‘ by his former Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi, a big compliment for a footballer of his age.
Liverpool have previous when it comes to dealing with Brighton, having signed Alexis Mac Allister from the south coast 18 months ago, and they’ve also raided fellow English clubs for the likes of Jota, Virgil van Dijk and Andy Robertson in recent years.
A move for Pedro in 2025 doesn’t seem implausible, so this may be one to watch over the next few months.