Throughout the transfer window, Liverpool has been linked with a move for Matheus Nunes, and a new update on the club’s pursuit of the player has emerged.
Liverpool is preparing an offer for Sporting CP midfielder Nunes, according to the Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha (via Paisley Gates).
According to the report, the Merseyside giants are already aware of the price required to complete a deal because the club accepted an offer from Wolverhampton Wanderers for €50 million (£42.2 million), but the player refused to join the Midlands club.
This would not be Liverpool’s first signing from the Portuguese top flight this summer, with January signing Luiz Diaz arriving from Porto and new star striker Darwin Nunez joining the club on a record-breaking transfer deal worth up to £85 million from Benfica.
Since his arrival, the goal-scorer has made an enormous impression, particularly inside the penalty area.
Nunez scored in both Liverpool’s Community Shield victory and his Premier League debut last weekend when he came off the bench to replace Roberto Firmino and ended up scoring just 13 minutes later.
The powers that be at Anfield can now replicate Nunez’s masterclass by signing another Nunes, this time a midfield talent scouted from the Liga Portugal.
After the quick transitions of Luiz and Darwin, it’s clear that Portugal is the place to sign players from right now, and the Sporting gem could do the same.
Jurgen Klopp’s side is currently suffering from a midfield injury crisis, with Thiago Alcantara, Curtis Jones, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all out for the foreseeable future due to fitness issues, so this could be a great opportunity for Liverpool to pounce on their second Portuguese target.
Thiago’s presence on the pitch is one that Liverpool will struggle to replace, with the Reds winning 88% of their Premier League games when he started last season, but that percentage dropped significantly to 62% when he didn’t.
As a result, if they can sign a player who can fill in for the Spaniard while he is out, Liverpool could be a formidable force this season, one that no team in any competition will be able to compete with.
Nunes, who transfer insider Dean Jones described as having the “perfect profile” for Liverpool, matched Thiago’s pass completion rate in his own half (92%) last season while taking 59.2 touches per game, delivering 39.2 accurate passes per game, and completing 70% of his dribbles for Sporting CP over 33 league appearances. In addition, he was an offensive threat, scoring three goals.
Having said that, the signing of Nunes couldn’t have come at a better time for FSG, who will be hoping to complete another Nunez-esque masterclass this summer.
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