Liverpool have rotated their No. 9s throughout the season and summer reinforcement is expected, with Arne Slot making it clear what he expects from the position aside from the obvious.
Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz have all led the line for Liverpool this season, none consistently proving they are the long-term solution for Slot.
Nunez has had his work rate questioned, Jota has been in and out with injuries and Diaz has predominantly looked his brightest off the left wing.
The club are expected to be in the market for a No. 9 this summer with Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike name-checked as a potential affordable option.
Whoever Liverpool end up with, though, Slot’s expectations besides the obvious need to score goals is clear as he even had to apologise for his language when spelling it out.
“You want the difficult or simple answer?” Slot retorted when asked what qualities he wants in his No. 9.
“The simple answer is what you want from a number nine, goals. That’s why you play a forward, not only your winger but also your number nine. So he needs to produce goals.
“Apart from that, I think in modern day football, a number nine, like a right winger, like a midfielder, like a defender, they need to work hard and be part of an intense pressing team.
“If you look at the teams that are now playing in the semi-final of the Champions League, they are all 11 players that work their ass off, apologies for the language!
“That is also what I’m expecting from our number nine that is part of an intense pressing team.
“But in the end, it is helpful if the number nine of Liverpool, or at any team in the world, scores goals. That was the short answer.”
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It is simple, if you do not ‘work your ass off’ you are not going to make it long under Slot.
Who has been linked so far?
Newcastle‘s Alexander Isak is considered the best option for any side looking to refresh their forward line, but his price tag and the Magpies’ unwillingness to sell takes him off the table.
Liverpool will have been doing their due diligence for some time and reports have linked the club to Ekitike, RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, Lille’s Jonathan David and Wolves‘ Matheus Cunha.
Ekitike, 22, is reportedly available for around £67 million and matches up well to Isak in key areas for a central striker, with 21 goals and nine assists in all competitions this season.
Meanwhile, the Mail‘s Lewis Steele recently reported that neither Ipswich‘s Liam Delap or Brighton‘s Joao Pedro, who had been linked, are expected to be of priority interest.
