Liverpool’s desire to sign a new striker this summer is an open secret, with the club expected to recruit a replacement for Darwin Nunez, who is tipped to leave after three underwhelming years at Anfield.
The Reds splurged a huge amount of money on Nunez in 2022 but he has scored just 40 goals in 138 games for the club and is not a regular starter under head coach Arne Slot.
Nunez, who said last month that he wanted to forget about his Liverpool plight during the international break, was the subject of interest from clubs in Saudi Arabia during the January window but Slot was unwilling to let him leave as the Reds chased glory on four fronts.
The Reds expect there to be a strong market for Nunez this summer, when they should still be able to collect a decent fee to put towards his replacement.
A new name that has been thrown into the frame as a possible summer addition to Slot’s squad is Victor Osimhen, with Sky Sports saying the Reds admire the Nigeria international. Here are three things that might need to happen for Osimhen to end up at Anfield…
Outgoings
As previously mentioned, Liverpool is likely to look to offload Nunez this summer after keeping hold of him amid interest from clubs in the Saudi Pro League during the winter transfer window. Al-Hilal reportedly offered $85 million in January, which in retrospect Liverpool probably wishes it had accepted, and the Reds will hope to receive a similar offer in the summer.
There has been some talk that Diogo Jota could leave too after a disappointing season which has been hampered by fitness issues and poor form, but he is ahead of Nunez in the pecking order under Slot and it might make sense to keep him as a back-up option to whichever new striker the club ends up signing.
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Napoli and Osimhen lowering demands
Osimhen was priced out of leaving Napoli permanently last year due to the lofty fee that the Italian club was asking for, with it insisting on any suitor paying his full $148 million release clause.
Considering the player’s contract in Naples is due to expire in the summer of 2026, there is no chance that any club will be paying that amount of money this year for a player that could be available for free 12 months down the line.
Also, Osimhen’s refusal to accept a lower salary was a major factor in Chelsea not stepping up its interest in the 26-year-old last summer. His salary would have to fit into Liverpool’s wage structure.
Isak too expensive
It seems as though Alexander Isak would be Liverpool’s ideal signing and, were he to be available at an acceptable price, the Reds would no doubt favor him over Osimhen.
However, the chances of Isak being available for what Liverpool would deem an acceptable price are slim, and the expectation is that the Reds will likely have to pursue more affordable options. Julian Alvarez has also been mentioned as a possible target, but he only moved clubs last summer, so Osimhen may be the Reds’ best bet.
