Liverpool, despite being on course to secure the Premier League title this season, have had an issue in the centre-forward position under Arne Slot.
The Dutch head coach has not found a reliable and consistent option in that role in his 4-3-3 system, with right winger Mo Salah carrying the load at the top end of the pitch with his 27 league strikes.
Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez, and Diogo Jota have all been utilised in the centre-forward role at various points throughout the 2024/25 campaign so far, with none of them able to really nail it down as their own.
Mo Salah
22.98
27
+4.02
Luis Diaz
9.18
9
-0.18
Cody Gakpo
6.35
8
+1.65
Darwin Nunez
5.28
5
-0.28
Diogo Jota
7.21
5
-2.21
Dominik Szoboszlai
6.17
5
-1.17
As you can see in the table above, all three of those players have been average, or poor, in front of goal considering the quality of chances that the team have created for them.
They have all, also, failed to hit double figures for goals in the division by this point, with Salah sitting on a whopping 18 goals ahead of anyone else in the squad.
Their respective struggles at the top end of the pitch this season may be why Liverpool have been linked with a move for Argentine forward Julian Alvarez.
The latest on Liverpool's interest in Julian Alvarez
Former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown has revealed that Liverpool have “looked” at the former Manchester City number nine ahead of the summer transfer window.
Speaking to Football Insider, the scout explained that the Reds want to bolster their options at the top end of the pitch but the Atletico Madrid man may not be a viable option.
Brown said: “I’ve heard talk about a potential move to Liverpool, but just a year after he left City I’m not convinced that one’s likely to happen. I think he’s one they’ve looked at to see whether he might be an option, but it’s not gone any further.
“He’s settled and happy where he is at the moment, I don’t think he’s looking to move. Plus, Atletico Madrid are not going to want to sell, it would have to be a huge deal.”
He added: “Liverpool do want to strengthen up front, but they’ll have to look elsewhere.”
These comments suggest that Michael Edwards will not be able to strike a deal for the 2022 World Cup winner when the summer transfer window opens, which is a shame when you consider the kind of quality that he could provide at Anfield.
How Julian Alvarez could improve Liverpool's team
The 25-year-old sensation’s performances for Atletico Madrid across all competitions this season suggest that he has the ability to come in and solve Slot’s problems in the number nine position.
Alvarez, who scored 17 goals for Manchester City in the 2022/23 campaign, has racked up 23 goals and five assists in 44 appearances in all competitions for the Spanish giants this term.
He has proven himself to be a ruthless forward who can make a big impact in the final third in both LaLiga and the Champions League for Diego Simeone’s side, thanks to his lethal finishing when chances come his way.
Starts
22
10
xG
8.86
2.38
Goals
11
7
Minutes per goal
166
113
Big chances missed
5
1
Conversion rate
21%
32%
As you can see in the table above, Alvarez has outperformed his xG, by some distance, across both competitions and rarely passed up a ‘big chance’ to find the back of the net.
These statistics suggest that the Argentina international is the kind of centre-forward that Slot has been missing from his Liverpool squad in the Premier League in the current campaign.
The Dutch manager, however, may have his own version of Alvarez brewing at Anfield in the form of young marksman Jayden Danns, who is currently out on loan at Sunderland.
Why Jayden Danns could make the breakthrough at Liverpool
The England U18 international signed for the Championship side on loan in the January transfer window but has yet to make an appearance for the Black Cats due to a back issue.
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Danns, despite not having any estimated return date yet, is expected to play a part in their promotion push before the end of the season, though, and that could give him an opportunity to impress Slot before pre-season.
The 19-year-old starlet has, already, shown plenty of promise at youth and senior level in his career so far, however, as he has made nine appearances for Liverpool’s first-team.
Danns has scored three goals in his nine matches for the senior side, scoring two goals against Southampton and one against Accrington Stanley.
As you can see in the clip above, the teenage sensation showed fantastic movement and composure in front of goal to score an excellent goal against the Saints last term.
Danns was once described as “unplayable” by U23 scout Antonio Mango and analyst Ben Mattinson claimed that the striker is “a better finisher than (Darwin) Nunez”, which shows that he has caught the eye of unbiased onlookers.
Premier League
3
0
0
Premier League 2
9
3
2
U18 Premier League
27
18
4
FA Cup
2
3
0
FA Youth Cup
6
6
0
Champions League
1
0
0
UEFA Youth League
2
1
0
As you can see in the table above, the Liverpool youngster has already shown a clinical and ruthless edge at academy level with his goalscoring exploits in the U18 Premier League and the FA Youth Cup.
It is now down to him to show that he can translate those performances over to the senior versions of those competitions, in the Premier League and the Champions League specifically.
His return of three goals in two FA Cup matches for the first-team is a promising sign and shows that he does have the ability to make an impact against senior teams, with his aforementioned goal against Southampton showcasing his composure and quality in front of goal.
It is now down to him to return from injury and enjoy a strong end to the campaign with Sunderland to prove to Slot that he is ready to return to Anfield to compete for a place in the squad next season.
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If he can do that then Edwards can forget all about Alvarez and the club’s unlikely pursuit of the Atletico star as Liverpool could have their own version of the clinical number nine in Danns, who seemingly has the potential to be the consistent scorer that the Reds have lacked in that position this season.