In the wake of Liverpool’s leave-it-late victory over West Ham United to move within touching distance of claiming the Premier League, both Arne Slot and Virgil van Dijk have alluded to a big summer of investment.
The runaway leaders have surprised everyone in ending Manchester City’s four-peat and leapfrogging Arsenal, who look set to complete their third second-place finish on the trot.
However, Liverpool definitely haven’t been perfect, with several first-team regulars struggling to prove themselves under new management and seemingly heading toward a summer exit.
From an attacking sense, Darwin Nunez is the most likely name to be drawn to mind, but he’s not the only one, oh no, Diogo Jota has also flattered to deceive for months and could be sold this summer.
Why Liverpool should sell Diogo Jota
Nunez has been consigned to the margins all season – the Uruguayan wasn’t even a part of Liverpool’s matchday squad against West Ham – but Jota has been utilised in a more important manner.
However, injuries have managed to scupper Jota’s hopes of a standout season. The 28-year-old has only started 13 Premier League matches all year, with the goals drying up since overcoming setbacks across winter and before.
Indeed, the Portugal international has only scored twice across his past 13 fixtures in all competitions, with the combination of injuries and goalscoring impotence highlighting the need for a new centre-forward.
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Liverpool need to aim for the stars. Some reports claim that Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak is very much the dream target this summer, but at around €150m (£130m), the Reds might need to part ways with more than just Nunez.
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Luckily, Slot knows that he has an up-and-coming star who could take Jota’s place and save Liverpool a whole load of money.
Liverpool already have a perfect Jota heir
Who knows how Liverpool’s transfer window will pan out. In fairness, though, there’s every chance that the Reds could launch a stunning move for a player of Isak’s ilk.
Finances are good at Anfield, but those working away in the offices will always look for a shrewd solution if one presents itself, and promoting Jayden Danns through fire sales of Nunez and Jota could be the perfect, resourceful way to take Liverpool forward next season.
Danns, 19, has suffered with a few unfortunate injuries over the past year, ending his January agreement to move on loan to Championship promotion hopefuls Sunderland before he had even kicked a ball.
But there’s no mistaking the teenage striker is one to watch, with analyst Ben Mattinson already pronouncing him to be “a better finisher than Nunez.”
Based on the evidence of the past three years, this isn’t all that hard, but it does highlight the natural ball-striking prowess that Danns can develop over the coming years, having already scored three times for Liverpool across just nine professional appearances.
Serving as Isak’s understudy, for example, Danns could save Liverpool millions and allow them to stock up the war chest through sales of Liverpool’s existing – and struggling – number nines.
With attention needed across various other areas of the park, this might just be the perfect way to keep Slot’s side firing while strengthening across key areas too.
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