Liverpool’s next big transfer may have just become clear as David Moyes set for £50m more misery

A tally of 77 goals for Liverpool in the Premier League so far this season may make the forward line a lower priority for Jürgen Klopp this summer, but the performance of Darwin Núñez in Tuesday night’s Champions League quarter-final clash could have changed that. The 22-year-old provided a glimpse of the different threats he would add to the Reds’ attack, with his instinctiveness when leading the line an element that could allow Klopp to mold him into one of the world’s best number nines.

Anfield has often been the perfect setting for players to reach the next level. Eight years since Luis Suárez left Liverpool for Barcelona in 2014, it’s finally time to welcome another Uruguayan forward who could establish the Reds’ dynasty amid a summer that threatens to send Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland to Manchester City.

Núñez’s frequency of runs in behind for Benfica showed how he would quickly fit into Liverpool’s style. While he may not have threatened the center-back pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konaté as much as he would have liked, the striker looked to challenge them when he could, and displayed the characteristics required to be a success in the Premier League. As Liverpool prepares for the second leg at Anfield, Benfica’s leading striker has earned the respect of Klopp’s defense after his display.

The Uruguay international has found the back of the net 26 times this season, with eight coming in the last ten games. Despite the element of fortune that came with his goal against Liverpool on Tuesday night, Núñez showed why he is one of the most sought-after strikers in football.

West Ham and David Moyes were willing to break their transfer record to secure his signature in January, while Arsenal has also been linked with him in their continued search for a number nine. But now Liverpool must consider making a move for a forward who has the potential to be a leading name in the next few years. It’s rare for a 22-year-old forward to have a record as impressive — and he will only improve working under Klopp.

Luis Díaz — also wanted by Moyes at West Ham in January — has made a very quick start at Anfield, after completing a transfer that could rise to almost £50m. It is a testament to how Klopp and FSG are able to identify players who are already playing the Liverpool way. Diogo Jota also hit the ground running after being earmarked as a perfect fit.

As Divock Origi closes in on the final months of his contract, there is space in the squad for a striker to join the ranks. Núñez looks to be the perfect option in the summer, not least for his versatility, which has seen him perform from the left-wing as well as from the central attacking midfield this season. For Klopp, it will be a matter of applying the finishing touches to the Uruguayan star’s game, enabling him to become a consistent Premier League forward.

Transfermarkt reveals that the Benfica striker is currently worth £36m. The Portuguese side is likely to reject that figure, based on the advances of West Ham and Moyes in January, but the Reds could likely acquire him for a fee closer to the region of £50m. While that’s a large outlay for what would effectively be a squad player, his age means that it is a move that falls inside FSG’s strategy of acquiring talent on the brink of world-class status and seeing their resale value rise as they produce on Merseyside.

For Núñez, who is already well on his way to scoring over 30 goals this season, six goals clear of Ricardo Horta in the Liga NOS scoring charts, those figures will only be maintained if he joins a supporting cast that includes the likes of Thiago and Trent Alexander-Arnold. The Uruguay star is one performance away from igniting a path that would see him follow in the footsteps of one of his nation’s all-time greats — joining a dynasty at a time that it threatens to take over European football with a historic quadruple.