Liverpool’s new manager, Arne Slot, has shared his thoughts on the club’s attacking options, particularly focusing on Darwin Nunez, Soccernet.football reports
With Liverpool’s 2024/25 Premier League opener against Ipswich Town less than two weeks away, the Uruguayan striker has just returned to the AXA Training Centre after a busy summer.
Nunez helped his country secure third place in the Copa America and joins other Liverpool teammates like Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk, who also participated in deep summer tournaments.
After taking over from Jurgen Klopp, Slot has a clear vision for Nunez’s role at Liverpool.
Despite Nunez having played on the left wing for both club and country over the past year, Slot is reportedly more impressed with his potential as an “out-and-out centre-forward.”
Liverpool’s depth on the left side of the attack, featuring players like Luis Diaz and Cody Gakpo, contributes to Slot’s preference for Nunez as a central striker.
This depth is reportedly why Liverpool has not aggressively pursued Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon, who was offered to the Reds in June.
Slot’s approach to using strikers was further highlighted by Diogo Jota’s impressive pre-season performances against Arsenal and Manchester United. The Portuguese forward’s assist in the match against United exemplified the type of play Slot values.
Slot remarked after the Arsenal game:” I think that helps to have someone who naturally plays in that position […] it helps if you have a striker who is smart and is intelligent, knows when to make the deep runs [and] knows when to hold the ball.”
As Nunez readjusts and adapts to Slot’s strategies, there could be healthy competition for the starting striker role in the early weeks of the season.