Liverpool planning bid for £60m star who could possibly be their subsequent Jota

Liverpool stay prime of the Premier League desk, albeit their benefit is not wanting fairly as wholesome because it did every week or so in the past.

On Saturday, after falling behind inside 11 minutes, after which seeing Andy Robertson despatched off not lengthy after, the Reds truly did remarkably nicely to carry Fulham to a 2-2 draw at Anfield, twice equalising in entrance of the Kop, with Cody Gakpo and Diogo Jota the scorers.

That is solely the fourth time in any competitors that Liverpool have did not win a match since Arne Slot‘s arrival on Merseyside, however means they’re now a mere two factors away from in-form Chelsea, albeit with a recreation in hand.

So, because the Reds go searching for a record-equaling twentieth English top-flight title in 2025, may the addition of one other ahead assist push them over the road?

Liverpool making ready bid for brand spanking new ahead

In accordance with a report from Caught Offside, Liverpool, in addition to each Arsenal and Manchester Metropolis, are all excited by signing Brighton ahead Joao Pedro, purportedly ready to bid as much as £54m.

The Brazilian started his profession at Fluminense, having joined the Rio de Janeiro-based giants as a ten-year-old, earlier than departing for Watford in 2020, scoring 24 targets in 109 appearances for the Hornets.

These are removed from excellent statistics, however he definitely did sufficient to draw the eye of these on the South Coast throughout his time in Hertfordshire as a result of, in the summertime of 2023, he moved to Brighton for a club-record £30m.

Throughout his first season with the Seagulls, Pedro scored a powerful 20 targets throughout all competitions, together with six in six within the Europa League, the membership’s maiden voyage into continental competitors, most notably this well-known last-gasp winner when Olympique de Marseille visited Sussex, a strike that booked Brighton’s place within the spherical of 16.

How a lot Joao Pedro might price Liverpool

To date this marketing campaign, Pedro’s impression has been restricted by an ankle harm, seeing simply 43 minutes of Premier League motion between 31 August and 23 November, however he is nonetheless scored 4 instances, targets which have instantly added seven factors to the Seagulls’ tally.

Having now began 5 successive matches, Fabian Hürzeler clearly values the Brazilian as an necessary participant, therefore why Brighton allegedly worth him at round £60m in keeping with the aforementioned report.

Brighton definitely know get an excellent charge for a high-quality, in-demand participant: Moisés Caicedo (£115m), Marc Cucurella (£62m), Ben White (£50m), Alexis Mac Allister (£35m) and Yves Bissouma (£25m) are all current examples from the previous three years of the Seagulls’ robust negotiating powers, with all of this quintet bought to so-called “massive six” Premier League outfits.

So, if Pedro does depart the South Coast in 2025, you possibly can guess your backside greenback it should be for a sky-high charge.

How Joao Pedro would enhance Liverpool’s ahead line

Arne Slot already has an array of high-quality forwards at his disposal, specifically Mohamed Salah, who’s in ongoing contract negotiations, in addition to Luis Díaz, Darwin Núñez, Gakpo, Jota and summer season recruit Federico Chiesa, who’s made little impression up to now on account of harm.

Described as an “insane dribbler” by knowledge analyst Ben Mattinson, how does Pedro evaluate to the Reds’ 5 most important attacking choices?

Effectively, enjoying in that hybrid function between being a centre-forward and a quantity 10, similar to Jota has finished at Anfield, he stacks up fairly nicely as compared.

To the shock of nobody, Salah ranks the most effective in just about each attacking metric; you did not want a huge desk stuffed with numbers to let you know he is good did you?

Nonetheless, when in comparison with the opposite forwards, Pedro is on par with most, rating highest for targets per 90, whereas boasting an xG determine superior to each Jota and Gakpo.

Slot has been chopping and altering his centre-forwards this season, notably since Jota suffered a rib harm in opposition to Chelsea in mid-October, with Díaz usually getting the nod over Nunez, most notably for the 4-0 demolition of Bayer Leverkusen, wherein the Colombian bagged a second half hat-trick.

Meantime, Gakpo has primarily been deployed in his most well-liked place out-wide, believing he’s “extra harmful” underneath Slot, claiming the supervisor informed him that left-wing “goes to be your place”, having been predominantly deployed centrally by Jürgen Klopp.

So, with Jota having missed 59 matches on account of harm because the begin of the 22/23 season, and Nunez not residing as much as the sky-high expectations set by his club-record £85m price ticket, the Uruguayan having scored simply 36 targets in 116 outings so far, central striker does stay a place of want and Pedro’s numbers recommend he could possibly be a improbable addition if the Reds are keen to cough up an enormous charge for his companies.