Liverpool have hit gold on “particular” star

Darwin Nunez scored a hat-trick for Liverpool in a behind-closed-doors conflict in opposition to Stoke Metropolis, earlier than Arne Slot and his lads jetted off to Japan for his or her pre-season tour.

Nunez, sporting a contemporary buzzed trim, reminded a number of that he is aware of the place the again of the online is, however it’s possible that he’ll depart this summer season.

The Uruguayan joined Liverpool from Benfica for an preliminary £64m determine in 2022. That charge may need risen to £85m, however the truth that it hasn’t is indicative of the striker’s struggles throughout his years on Merseyside, solely scoring 25 targets within the Premier League throughout his three campaigns, decreased to the periphery since Slot changed Jurgen Klopp one yr in the past.

Nonetheless, Nunez has received the Carabao Cup and the Premier League throughout his three years, and he’ll dwell lengthy within the reminiscence of the fanbase, for proper causes and fallacious.

And on condition that Liverpool are set to splash the money on an thrilling substitute in Hugo Ekitike, it is in all probability proper that he strikes on to pastures new.

Liverpool’s deal for Hugo Ekitike

Liverpool worth Nunez at £70m, and sticking to that price ticket ended prolonged negotiations with Napoli for the Uruguayan quantity 9.

Suitors stay within the Saudi Professional League, and although the 25-year-old could but keep put, the acquisition of a high expertise in Ekitike adjustments issues, for this French ahead has the possibility to nail down a focal position for the Premier League champions.

Nonetheless, there is no assure that he’ll hit the bottom working. Ekitike stormed his method by means of the 2024/25 marketing campaign, scoring 22 targets and supplying 12 assists for Eintracht Frankfurt. His dynamic, strong fashion even led journalist Graeme Bailey to hail him as “the following Mbappe“.

This is the factor: the rationale Liverpool’s high goal was Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak stems from the truth that Isak is fairly achieved within the Premier League.

Signal him for the reported £130m charge and you already know you are going to get a world-class striker who will present objective upon objective upon objective throughout the marketing campaign.

He was “the very best striker on the earth” final season, in response to analyst Raj Chohan. Alas, the Magpies fairly like their frontman, and did not need to promote. In Ekitike, a ahead of comparable properties, Liverpool have the right various, however one who would require work and care over the approaching years.

However Slot is aware of his stuff, all proper, with one thing of a knack for elevating thrilling gamers, keen them into superstars.

Take, for instance, Cody Gakpo, who Ekitike would possibly need to use as a benchmark as he makes his merry method towards prominence within the Premier League.

Liverpool have struck gold on Cody Gakpo

Liverpool signed Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven for £35m in January 2023. He was the discuss of the city, having performed a blinder for the Netherlands throughout the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, scoring in every of his nation’s group stage matches.

Warding off curiosity from Manchester United for the versatile ahead (very similar to with Ekitike within the current day), Gakpo, 25, has reached a stage which has not simply paid again the value tag however proved it to have been a shrewd funding.

Whereas the Dutchman has at all times maintained a level of prolificness for Liverpool, he is turn out to be extra full, extra refined, over the previous 12 months, with pundit Peter Crouch remarking that he is “gone up a stage” underneath Slot’s wing.

Klopp utilised Gakpo in his personal method, and Slot has made use of his abilities otherwise. Throughout the 2023/24 season, Gakpo was performed throughout virtually each position possible, scattered throughout the park like so many leaves within the wind.

However Slot noticed issues in his personal method, and performed his countryman virtually completely off the left wing, deeming his goalscoring potential to be finest served within the position.

Final season within the high flight, Gakpo missed solely six massive possibilities within the Premier League, as per Sofascore, certainly scoring ten instances.

The truth is, as FBref file it, the Netherlands native ranked among the many high 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues final season for targets scored however solely the highest 26% for whole pictures taken per 90, highlighting the economic system of his ball placing.

This composure and accuracy are issues that lingers as foibles in Ekitike’s talent set, and are drawbacks which should be labored on over the following few years. Slot will probably be completely satisfied to take action, as he has completed with Gakpo since first arriving within the Premier League.

And that improvement is additional evidenced by means of Gakpo’s monetary progress. In keeping with CIES Soccer Observatory, the £120k-per-week star is valued at about €104m (equating to £90m), which places him on a taller pedestal than Ekitike, for positive.

Praised by Klopp for his “particular” qualities, Gakpo is the true deal, and it is thrilling to suppose that he, together with Ekitike, will proceed to develop and enhance over the following a number of years, shaping him into an much more spectacular ahead.

If something, Gakpo’s present stage merely works in Ekitike’s favour: the French ahead is inventive and dynamic, works arduous off the ball. On this method, he could possibly be an thrilling companion, elevating Gakpo’s goalscoring efforts.

And if he will get his head down and seeks to emulate his soon-to-be teammate’s progress, Slot could properly discover that he is hit the jackpot as soon as once more, having already lifted Gakpo from his place as a proficient ahead and formed him into top-of-the-line within the enterprise.