Search for a new #9

[rurikbird]

No matter what happens with Salah, I think it's clear to everyone we need to buy a new centre-forward. Nunez will probably stay for at least another season, but a team with any ambition cannot afford to put all our eggs in the Nunez basket yet again – and if Diaz or another winger is sold, Darwin will be able to compete for playing time both as a striker and a wing-forward.

So who should we be targeting? In the world of centre-forwards, we often see duopolies – high profile strikers who emerge at roughly same time and are often compared and judged against one another: Haaland vs Mbappe, Kane vs Lewandowski, Hojlund vs Darwin. This season arguably the striker duopoly is represented by Gyokeres of Sporting vs Santi Gimenez of Feyenoord. (Of course these two strikers happen to play for teams coached by the "finalists" for Liverpool coaching job, which I guess makes it spicier if we were to show interest in both.)

Here's a decent compilation and comparison (warning – it's made by a Chelsea fan, similarly starved for a decent #9). Which of these two would fit Liverpool better? Any other suggestions for a new #9 that can potentially displace or seriously challenge Darwin and give us a new dimension? Do we need more of a penalty box finisher or a roaming striker who can create chances for himself and others?

View: https://youtu.be/KXo6U8NK-Ho?si=wgbLHE-DzrY0VGe_&t=40

Personally, I'm leaning towards Gimenez. There is something about him that says he will score goals anywhere he goes.

 

[Hansern]

Its a shame we didnt go for Isak. Would have been a great fit for us.

 

[Hyena]

We'll could just overpay for Isak.

Newcastle needs the funds for Financial Fair Play

 

[Hyena]

What about Lois Openda?

 

[Frogfish]

I'm still in the Olise boat. We don't really play with a traditional #9 (does Slot?) but with goals spread across our attackers (all in double figures this season). His injuries this season are a question mark but he had a superb injury record before this season (played in 37 of 38 PL games the season before).

He's 22 yo, 1.84m and very fast with excellent dribbling skills, ready made for the RW slot. This season his 7 goals and 4 assists have come in just 1,015 mins.

Palace asking £60m so could likely cost £50m?

 

[rurikbird]

What about Lois Openda?

Good shout. Red Bull is a club we like to buy from for sure. He's a bit small for a CF though.

 

[Modo]

We'll could just overpay for Isak.

Newcastle needs the funds for Financial Fair Play

Injured every four weeks. Yep he'll fit right in.
How's the Slovakian/Slovenian guy doing? The one from Red Bull

 

[Hansern]

Good shout. Red Bull is a club we like to buy from for sure. He's a bit small for a CF though.

If we're talking Red Bull strikers I'd rather go for Sesko. He has a 42 mill release clause this summer. 6'5 and has just about everything you want in a striker. Only 20 years old.

 

[Hyena]

I'm still in the Olise boat. We don't really play with a traditional #9 (does Slot?) but with goals spread across our attackers (all in double figures this season). His injuries this season are a question mark but he had a superb injury record before this season (played in 37 of 38 PL games the season before).

He's 22 yo, 1.84m and very fast with excellent dribbling skills, ready made for the RW slot. This season his 7 goals and 4 assists have come in just 1,015 mins.

Palace asking £60m so could likely cost £50m?

I'm ALL in the Olise boat. Unfortunately I think other big teams are as well.

Man Utd fan, Chelsea alumni, gonna be tough to get him. He's more of a Salah replacement isn't he?

 

[Modo]

If we're talking Red Bull strikers I'd rather go for Sesko. He has a 42 mill release clause this summer. 6'5 and has just about everything you want in a striker. Only 20 years old.

That's the one

 

[rurikbird]

If we're talking Red Bull strikers I'd rather go for Sesko. He has a 42 mill release clause this summer. 6'5 and has just about everything you want in a striker. Only 20 years old.

He looks very interesting – almost Shevchenko-like. But maybe at this stage we should go for a 22-24 age range if we want not an understudy to Nunez, but a potential replacement.

Any opinions on Gimenez?

 

[Hyena]

Lois Openda 2023/34:
42 matches
28 goals
7 assists

Benjamin Sesko 2023/24:
39 matches
15 goals
2 assists

 

[tomasjj]

Boniface?

 

[Hansern]

He looks very interesting – almost Shevchenko-like. But maybe at this stage we should go for a 22-24 age range if we want not an understudy to Nunez, but a potential replacement.

Any opinions on Gimenez?

Having watched him last year for the national team I’d say he’d be ready to step up in a starting role now. He’s so good.

Havent seen much of Giménez in all honesty. But he’s being linked to just about every Club in Europe so must be something there.
Will we sign any players from Feyenoord though?

 

[Hyena]

Gimenez has

He looks very interesting – almost Shevchenko-like. But maybe at this stage we should go for a 22-24 age range if we want not an understudy to Nunez, but a potential replacement.

Any opinions on Gimenez?

Gimenez has very similar profile to Openda.

Tbh I think he'll be fine. I'm just biased against buying from the new manager's former club. Maybe 1 or 2 is fine, but too many leaves a sour taste

 

[Fabio]

remember when rafa brought aimar with him?

me neither

We rarely buy from a managers former club. TBF most teams rarely do. Only mourinho, Harry redknapp and big sam come to mind.

I'm still in the Olise boat. We don't really play with a traditional #9 (does Slot?) but with goals spread across our attackers (all in double figures this season). His injuries this season are a question mark but he had a superb injury record before this season (played in 37 of 38 PL games the season before).

He's 22 yo, 1.84m and very fast with excellent dribbling skills, ready made for the RW slot. This season his 7 goals and 4 assists have come in just 1,015 mins.

Palace asking £60m so could likely cost £50m?

I like olise and would be very happy if we bought him for either the LCM/RCM (which is advanced under slot) or RW; but we definitely need a consistent goalscoring 9. Alongside a CB or DM, i would probably say they it's the most crucial thing we need

 

[Hyena]

We rarely buy from a managers former club. TBF most teams rarely do. Only mourinho, Harry redknapp and big sam come to mind.

Ten Hag did. Lollolllooool

 

[dmishra]

I was coming into this thread to suggest Openda. He's not a classic no. 9, but someone in the mould of Jota. Plays across the front 3, but a brilliant instinctive finisher.

 

[Fabio]

Feels like the next batch of exciting strikers is coming through and i've no clue who any of them are.

 

[Cerberus]

If we get insane money for Salah surely we should consider Osimhen.

 

[Fabio]

If we get insane money for Salah surely we should consider Osimhen.

not sure what it is, but i just don't think osimhen has a transferable skill set to our league.With the cost as well, i reckon we could get just as good a striker alongside a good DM or CB.

Also it could be because i'm just reluctant to touch the Italian league with a barge pole. Lukaku and abraham look decent there ffs

 

[Hyena]

Osimhen has less goals and less assists than Darwin Nunez this season.

Let him go to Chelsea please

 

[Fabio]

Giroud is still putting up good numbers ffs. cunts 37

 

[Hyena]

Giroud is still putting up good numbers ffs. cunts 37

Is he still handsome af?

Asking for a friend...

 

[Fabio]

Ican absolutely see us going in for some bang average, middle of the road, 25 year old forward for 20m. Like jonas wind or some other underwhelming fucker

 

[Fabio]

Is he still handsome af?

Asking for a friend...

The day he isn't handsome is the day the world ends. He could be horribly scarred from a vicious monkey attack and still be a 10/10

 

[binomial]

Openda and Gyokeres will likely be the most sought after strikers this season. Osimhen and Lautaro less so due to their price tags.

I'd quite like us to try for Jonathan David especially if Lille miss out on CL, dude knows where the back of the net is.

Besides that not too sure who else the top established strikers out there are. Dovbyk is having a pretty solid season with Girona.

 

[Squiggles]

From my understanding Gakpo has a lot of qualities that Slott can utilise at 9. He seems to like his teams attacking through central areas with quick interplay. Gakpo has the skills to do that. I've been jokingly harsh as fuck on him all year but we need to continue to get him back to the form from last year and we may save some cash. We will probably need another, but it would be a bold move to do so without giving current players time to adapt. Not neccessarily against it, but let's see. The attack needs restructuring as a whole. Too many can play LW, not enough options at RW, and only Gakpo seems a reasonable candidate to play through the middle under Slott. I suspect patience will run out with Nunez in a year

 

[Hyena]

There is a player in the PL who would be a great 9 but he is a bit of a gamble.........

 

[binomial]

There is a player in the PL who would be a great 9 but he is a bit of a gamble.........

28 and hasn't exactly set the world alight since he's been back.