Richard Hughes has an £84m transfer solution to MAJOR Liverpool problem | OneFootball

Liverpool were brilliant in their first Champions League game of the season, beating AC Milan 3-1 at San Siro but Diogo Jota’s recent struggles continued.

The Portuguese striker managed just 11 passes, and also missed both of his big chances, before being replaced by Darwin Núñez.

It was the third game in a row in which Jota struggled to get himself involved, but despite this Arne Slot has persisted with him, and Núñez is yet to start a single game so far this season, restricted to appearances off the bench.

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Some fans and pundits have been disappointed in the impact the Uruguayan has made off the bench, however this seems harsh.

It is difficult to make any real assessment as to how he might fit into this new Slot set-up without seeing him get a run of games, but the fact Jota started again against Milan suggests the manager might not fancy Núñez, despite saying the contrary in the summer, and who starts against Bournemouth on Saturday will be extremely interesting.

Liverpool will hope that Jota, who some argue is the side’s best finisher, can get back to his best and that he is simply going through a poor run of form.

Whilst some would argue Núñez’s time at the club may be coming to an end if Slot is unsure about him, many fans are still hopeful that he can get back to the form that saw him score seven in seven for Uruguay and 26 in 28 league games in his final season at Benfica, whilst also getting six in the Champions League.

Liverpool will hope to return to the top of world football again, and if they are to do so, they will need a big squad, with quality throughout it. The signing of a new striker would not spell the end of Núñez or Jota’s time at Anfield, it would just mean more competition.

Why Viktor Gyökeres makes perfect sense

The signing of Viktor Gyökeres has the potential to transform this Liverpool team and help them reach new heights. The Swedish striker already has a ridiculous 17 goals and assists in nine games for club and country so far this season, and has registered a goal contribution in all of them.

He is coming off the back of a season in which he managed 58 goal contributions in 50 games, so his start to the season is not a fluke.

He is valued at €25.6m by Football Transfers, but Sporting would likely ask for more, with his release clause set at €100m, which is roughly £84m and would be just below Liverpool's record transfer which was Nunez at £85.36m.

He said prior to his Champions League win last night regarding the high release clause: “I don't work for the club or am a businessman, I'm not up to speed on that.

March 17, 2024, Lisbon, Portugal: Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting CP celebrates a goal with Daniel Braganca during the Liga Portugal Betclic match between Sporting CP and Boavista FC at Estadio Jose Alvalade. Lisbon Portugal - ZUMAs197 20240317_aaa_s197_397 Copyright: xHenriquexCasinhasx

“It's a lot, but I don’t want to go anywhere. I'm happy at Sporting, it's not a problem for me to stay. My value is my value. Let's see if something happens.”

At 26 years of age, he is still entering his prime, with interest from all over Europe, Arsenal in particular linked with his signature.

His clinical nature would make him perfect for Liverpool, with the number of chances they have been creating under Arne Slot so far, he was in the 98th percentile for non-penalty goals in Europe last season, which considering the number of minutes he played is extremely impressive.

However, what might be equally exciting is his excellent link-up play and chance creation, with the pace of Mohamed Salah, Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo on the wings a perfect foil for the Swedishman. He was also in the 98th percentile, amongst other strikes, for expected assists with 0.25 per 90, showing he has creative flair as well as an exceptional eye for goal.

Núñez and Jota score well in some metrics too, but neither consistently score as highly, although he is playing in the Portuguese league rather than the Premier League.

Gyökeres would be the perfect addition to Liverpool’s front line, and if Slot does not fancy Núñez, it might be a necessary one too.

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