Teamwork makes the dream work

Liverpool make early transfer to signal “generational” star who’d unlock Nunez

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There may be little to combat for within the remaining week of Jurgen Klopp’s tenure as Liverpool supervisor, and whereas the cameras are fastened on the German as he prepares to take his emotional go away, the rumble of the summer season switch window might be felt on Merseyside.

Arne Slot will head the brand new Anfield construction that has seen Michael Edwards and Julian Ward return in senior roles for FSG and Richard Hughes swiped from Bournemouth because the membership’s new sporting director.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein has confirmed that Liverpool are hoping to signal a high-level vast ahead this summer season following current rumours of Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Mohamed Salah’s futures.

Slot’s fashion of play at Feyenoord is discernibly fast-paced and front-footed, configuring his midfield to a triangular level that might see Dominik Szoboszlai revived in a extra attacking position.

He requires tempo and energy and dynamism from his vast forwards, and Edwards and his group seem like closing on simply the person to ignite the venture.

Liverpool eyeing vast ahead

In line with reporter Ibrahim Sannie Daara, Liverpool have made contact with West Ham United as they think about launching an early transfer for winger Mohammed Kudus.

This is not the primary Kudus’ title has popped up not too long ago, with switch insider Dean Jones revealing final week that the Reds are contemplating triggering the participant’s launch clause, which Ornstein has confirmed the existence of.

It is also burdened that Kudus is on the radar of Arsenal, Manchester Metropolis and Actual Madrid, who’ve made preliminary enquiries. Curiosity within the Ghana worldwide will likely be fierce this summer season and Liverpool might want to transfer quick to safe their man.

West Ham forward Mohammed Kudus.

Mohammed Kudus’ season in numbers

West Ham may not have loved a second successive trophy-winning marketing campaign, nor will they proceed their current European success into the 2024/25 marketing campaign, however David Moyes – who will step down from his duties this summer season – has actually bought bang for his buck with Kudus.

Signed from Ajax for £38m late final August after the Hammers had already raided the struggling Eredivisie giants for Edson Alvarez, Kudus arrived with a weight of expectation following some scientific shows within the Champions League, additionally impressing with Ghana on the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The 23-year-old scored a hat-trick early within the marketing campaign for Ajax however could be an Iron lower than every week on, the place he has now clinched 13 targets and 6 assists throughout 44 matches, integral in securing a top-half Premier League end and impressing in Europe.

Mohammed Kudus: Premier League Stats 23/24

Stat

#

Matches performed

32

Matches began

26

Targets

7

Assists

6

Go completion

85%

Photographs per sport

2.0

Key passes per sport

0.9

Tackles per sport

2.0

Ball recoveries per sport

6.4

Dribbles per sport

3.8 (61%)

Duels received per sport

8.5 (54%)

Stats by way of Sofascore

His precise goal-contributing metrics are nothing particular, however Kudus has been electrical and efficient throughout each flanks, mixing his uncooked pace and athleticism with clever, decided runs into the ultimate third.

He would provide, on this regard, one thing just like Diaz for Liverpool, although he’s crafting a stronger risk in entrance of purpose and is 4 years youthful than the Colombian, even described as a “generational expertise” by journalist Gary Al-Smith.

As per FBref, Kudus ranks among the many high 21% of attacking midfielders and wingers throughout Europe’s high 5 leagues over the previous yr for targets, the highest 2% for profitable take-ons and the highest 4% for tackles per 90, underscoring his wide-ranging talent set and the progressive energy that he would carry to Slot’s Liverpool.

These key core qualities would slot into the brand new Anfield squad like a dovetail joint, and whereas he has a lot to enhance upon, Kudus has set the tone for a promising profession on the entrance of the European sport.

How Mohammed Kudus would slot in at Liverpool

Liverpool could effectively lose one among their forwards this summer season, and whereas Nunez has been underneath fireplace not too long ago after deleting Liverpool-related imagery from his Instagram account, additionally attracting curiosity from Barcelona, it’d really be Diaz who’s the more than likely to depart.

Diaz, aged 27, has been one among Liverpool’s greatest gamers not too long ago and was handed the membership’s Participant of the Month award for April to stress this level, however he is a modest goalscoring and artistic risk and this could be the optimum time to promote, with Paris Saint-Germain identified suitors and Liverpool slapping a £75m price ticket on his title.

By welcoming Kudus to the fold and deploying him on the wing, Nunez may really discover the right new cog within the system to see him realise his lofty potential.

Stat Comparability: LFC Wingers vs Kudus

Stat (per 90)

Kudus

Salah

Diaz

Targets

0.28

0.69

0.29

Assists

0.24

0.38

0.18

Shot-creating actions

3.85

5.00

5.54

Progressive passes

2.90

5.38

4.06

Progressive carries

4.41

3.44

4.60

Profitable take-ons

4.62

0.92

2.28

Ball recoveries

7.52

3.09

4.31

Tackles

1.68

0.34

0.80

All stats by way of FBref

It is vital to keep in mind that Kudus plies his commerce in a aspect ostensibly inferior in offence – would Diaz notch up the identical numbers on the London Stadium? Would Salah?

At 23, Kudus is comfortably youthful than each of Liverpool’s major vast forwards and thus has loads of room for progress, and on condition that he is already confirmed himself to be probably the most ferocious ball-carrying vessels within the Premier League, he could be good for Slot’s system.

Nunez, as everyone knows, is wasteful in entrance of purpose however this doesn’t negate the myriad qualities that prompted an Edwards-less Liverpool to half with a club-record £85m determine for his signature again in 2022.

For all his faults, the Uruguay worldwide has nonetheless chalked up 18 targets and 13 assists this season, significantly enhancing on final time period’s tally of 15 strikes and simply 4 assists.

Darwin Nunez against Atalanta-1

The 24-year-old has demonstrated promising indicators of progress however he might want to stem the rot that has seen him miss a litany of possibilities – 47 within the English high flight throughout his two campaigns regardless of scoring solely 20 targets.

However because the desk suggests above, Salah isn’t cell sufficient anymore and serves extra of a poaching position at Liverpool (to a world-class commonplace, it have to be mentioned).

Maybe the Egyptian will discover his place extra central in the course of the season to return, the place his incredible goalscoring and creativity and might nonetheless serve on the centre whereas permitting somebody like Kudus to overlap and stretch the opposition.

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Nunez, in fact, is the one one that can repair Nunez’s ending, with the matter down extra to temperament than technicality.

However Kudus’ addition to the group might go a good distance towards enhancing the dynamism and vitality of the aspect, handing the South American ahead every thing he must unearth the elite-class high quality that lies dormant inside.