Liverpool have a problem, and his name is Darwin Nunez. Of course, the nature of a problem suggests that there is a solution, and the Uruguay international has a superabundance of quality to point toward a long and prosperous future at Anfield.
But Liverpool have a problem. It lies at the centre of Nunez's stylish skill set, pervading like a stain. The club's record-fee striker is not clinical enough, scoring just 20 goals from 65 appearances in the Premier League after transferring from SL Benfica for a fee rising to £85m in the summer of 2022 and missing a staggering 47 big chances across his two league campaigns.
Poor finishing and questionable conduct at the end of Jurgen Klopp's reign have left Nunez alienated somewhat, with fans polarised and transfer rumours now surfacing concerning centre-forwards.
Michael Edwards, FSG's CEO of Football, has the trust of the Reds faithful, a proven negotiator and an astute marksman in the market, and an exciting Nunez replacement to charge Arne Slot's system has emerged.
Liverpool lining up Slot favourite
According to TV Azteca, Feyenoord centre-forward Santiago Gimenez is disillusioned by Slot's departure and now wishes to try his hand in a top division such as the Premier League, having forged a name as one of the Dutch Eredivisie's standout strikers.
Suitors for such a talented player are hardly few and far between, and lo and behold, Slot's Liverpool are among the contenders for the Mexican's signature, with Tottenham Hotspur, Leeds United and Southampton also registering an interest.
The fee required to prise Gimenez away from Feyenoord has been changeable over recent months but GiveMeSport speak of an £87m outlay to convince the 2022/23 Eredivisie champions to part ways.
Santiago Gimenez's style of play
Gimenez would provide Liverpool with the closest thing to a first-choice out-and-out centre-forward since the days of Daniel Sturridge, such has been the fluidity and dynamism of Klopp's frontline over the past near-decade.
Standing at 5 foot 11, Gimenez is not the most physically imposing of strikers but he does use his body and movements to emphatic effect, ensuring that his innate shooting quality is harnessed, chances unearthed in excess.
And this is backed up by some astounding shooting numbers, scoring 49 goals and adding 13 assists from just 85 matches for Feyenoord – including merely 66 starts – with 21 goals and eight assists arriving during the recently completed campaign.
Indeed, as per FBref, the 23-year-old ranks among the top 1% of forwards across divisions similar to the Eredivisie over the past year for non-penalty goals scored, the top 7% for assists, the top 2% for touches in the attacking penalty area, the top 21% for progressive carries and the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90.
Last season, during Slot's brilliant league title triumph, the Argentina-born Mexico international scored 28 goals in all competitions but found a role from the outset just 21 times in the Dutch first division, clearly improving and earning greater trust from Slot, his now-former manager.
He had joined Feyenoord from Cruz Azul that summer, swiftly proving himself a fierce goalscorer and leading Dirk Kuyt to hail him as "the best striker in the Eredivisie".
High praise indeed, but supporters will rightly be wary of parting with a significant sum for a player from the Netherlands after the litany of wayward arrivals to the Premier League in recent years, notably Manchester United's £86m transfer of Antony from Ajax.
But Gimenez boasts the swagger and skill to score goals on tap at a team such as Liverpool, which has been begging for a top-class finisher this season, having created the most big chances in the English top flight this season (102).
Nunez has been at the epicentre of criticisms regarding the Anfield side's profligacy, but with a player like Gimenez installed as the focal frontman, there's no telling how slick Slot's set-up might be next term.
Why Slot wants to reunite with Gimenez
While it might feel like Slot's arrival on Merseyside would see loose stories surrounding former players filter through, such is the nature of the rumour mill, there is a measure of believability behind Gimenez's possible transfer.
The sharpshooter offers a clinical threat beyond that of Nunez, without a doubt, but he has also avoided more than a smattering of injury concerns since moving to Europe.
Apps
96
85
Starts
59
66
Goals
33
49
Assists
17
13
G/A Rate
0.52
0.73
While the Premier League plays at a level higher than that of the Eredivisie, Gimenez boasts some positive underlying numbers that suggest he is ready for the step up, not least because of his proven track record under Slot, significantly outperforming Nunez in regard to goals and assists and even been hailed for his "unstoppable" striking by talent scout Jacek Kulig.
Nunez, it is important to note, scored 34 goals and added four assists from 41 matches during the 2021/22 season, his last with Benfica, and scored against Liverpool, Barcelona and Bayern Munich in the Champions League.
But he's lacking in composure and temperament when falling into promising positions, something that Gimenez has proven to avoid tarnishing his skill set.
The club aan de Maas striker has scored 38 goals and missed 39 big chances in the Eredivisie since initially linking up in 2022. To put that in perspective, Manchester City's Erling Haaland has scored 63 Premier League goals across two campaigns but he has also missed 62 big chances.
What does that tell us? It certainly reveals Gimenez's natural goalscoring quality, something that Nunez – if you hark back to the start of the discussion – is missing, having converted just 20 of his 67 big chances in the league for Liverpool.
Gimenez is hardly a poacher either, eager to drive the ball forward and enjoy plenty of possession. If Feyenoord will accept and acquiesce to their striker's desire to raise the bar in his career, Liverpool might just be the perfect destination.
£85,000-a-week Liverpool "lifesaver" could repeat Henderson blow for Slot
This would be a frustrating start for Slot.
ByTom CunninghamMay 31, 2024