Former Liverpool player Michael Thomas has explained why he believed Darwin Nunez will be ‘a great signing’ for the Reds.
The 22-year-old Uruguay international is reportedly set to arrive on Merseyside next week in order to complete his transfer from Portuguese outfit Benfica.
He’s expected to sign a six-year-deal at the club and although he may prove to spearhead the Anfield outfit’s attack for the foreseeable future, Thomas still believes Bobby Firmino will have a ‘role’ to play at the club next season.
“Darwin Nunez has had a really good season for Benfica and all the top teams are looking at him. He will be a great signing,” Thomas told CaughtOffside.
“He has pace, strength and can finish, but let’s not forget he can link up play. The one thing I would say is that he is not a player of the same ilk as a Firmino, who will pick it up, turn, and be able to play the ball to the runners off him.
“It will be interesting to see how Klopp adjusts his tactics to fit him in if they do finalise a deal for him, but I think there should still be a role for Firmino in there as well because no one else can bring the team what he does.
“I think in City signing Haaland, they have a more proven striker who is probably less of a gamble, and I am sure Liverpool would have bitten your hands off for him.
“Sadio Mane leaving will be a massive blow and it will be down to Luis Diaz to step up and contribute massively along with the other forwards in the team.”
It’s hard to argue against any of the claims that the ex-Red has made.
It’s certainly a huge blow that Sadio Mane appears to be on his way out of the club, but with Firmino, Nunez, Luis Diaz, Mo Salah and Diogo Jota, Jurgen Klopp still has plenty of world-class attacking options at his disposal.
With Manchester City’s signing of Erling Haaland, they will pose even more of a threat going forward next season, but their defence can let them down and it will be interesting to see how they fare next season.
With the imminent arrival of Nunez, and the club’s reported bid for Aberdeen’s Calvin Ramsay, hopefully our squad will be strong enough to once again challenge on all fronts next season.