Liverpool’s £70m Target Could Be the Final Piece in Arne Slot’s Attack | OneFootball

Viktor Gyökeres: The Finishing Touch for Liverpool’s New Frontline

Liverpool’s transformation under Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes is moving at speed, and with the Arne Slot era only days past a Premier League title win in his maiden season, the outlines of a formidable new-look squad are already emerging. The return of title-winning euphoria has been swiftly paired with swift, decisive action in the transfer market. With Jeremie Frimpong signed at an exceptional £30 million, Florian Wirtz closing in on a record-breaking £135 million switch, and perhaps Milos Kerkez offering balance and bite from left-back, the club’s evolution is clear and compelling. These moves echo a simple truth: Liverpool are preparing not just to defend their Premier League crown, but to forge a new dynasty.

Amid all the restructuring, one name has surged to the forefront of Liverpool’s transfer radar: Viktor Gyökeres. The Sporting CP striker has been linked before, but this time, the smoke is thick—and with Darwin Núñez and Luis Díaz nearing lucrative exits, the fire may be incoming. On June 2nd, the day after the summer window officially opened for Club World Cup exemptions, Gyökeres was installed as the bookies’ favourite to join Liverpool and complete a tantalising new-look attack. His goal record in Portugal is stunning, but it’s what he could offer this new-look side tactically and psychologically that makes him a vital piece of the puzzle.

The Killer Instinct Liverpool Have Missed

Despite Darwin Núñez’s chaotic but rare brilliance, Liverpool has too often lacked that cold-blooded, relentless finisher to capitalise on their dominance and chance creations. Gyökeres is the antithesis of wastefulness. With 54 goals in all competitions last season, he has demonstrated an ability to thrive both as a lead striker and as a relentless presser in a team that plays on the front foot. For a Slot-led Liverpool that will combine structure with vertical speed, there may be no better fit than the former Coventry striker.

He’s not just a goal poacher, despite that trait standing so high on his list of potential. Gyökeres possesses that blend of size, speed, and technique that makes him a nightmare to defend against, especially in Europe’s most elite division. His hold-up play is superb, his movement in the box razor-sharp, and his decision-making under pressure mature. Slot could build attacking patterns around his reliability, unlike the more volatile offerings of Núñez or the injury-prone Diogo Jota. As Salah drifts wide and Wirtz slices through the inside channels, Gyökeres offers a constant, clinical focal point.

A Fluid Front Three with Teeth

Pairing Mohamed Salah and Florian Wirtz either side of Gyökeres could unlock a front three as terrifying as any in Europe, even PSG. Salah, still at the peak of his powers, remains the club’s gold standard for productivity and creation. Wirtz, by contrast, brings youthful ingenuity and intelligence that could mirror the early Liverpool days of Philippe Coutinho—with more purpose and power. Gyökeres would be the glue, the finisher, and the spearhead.

This trident would also possess the balance that Slot craves as he looks to build a team in his image. Salah and Wirtz are both capable of dropping deep or going wide to allow the striker to exploit central lanes. Gyökeres’ ability to rotate, drag defenders, and press relentlessly fits the pressing philosophy at the core of Liverpool’s modern DNA. He does the dirty work but with a technician’s flair not too dissimilar from England’s world-class skipper, Harry Kane. That adaptability would also help Liverpool in Europe, where tighter games demand more than raw power or counter-attacking chaos. In Gyökeres, Liverpool would have a player able to wrestle with giants and dance around them too. They would have a striker that is not there to be a new false nine, but more fearsome.

While Rivals Look Elsewhere, Liverpool Have Clarity

The timing of Liverpool’s potential move for Gyökeres is telling and could carry weight. Manchester United are distracted by internal uncertainty, Arsenal are dithering between a couple of targets, and Chelsea are bound by the financial and structural consequences of years of erratic spending.

Edwards and Hughes know that striking while on top is not just an act of dominance—it’s one of insurance. Gyökeres won’t come cheap, but unlike others in the market, he’s ready-made for this Liverpool system. His desire to move, coupled with Sporting’s realistic valuation in the region of £65-70 million, makes this both ambitious and viable. If Núñez and Díaz are sold for a combined £150 million, the maths begins to make sense, especially with the likes of Harvey Elliott and Ben Doak likely to fetch a combined £60 million.

More than just filling a void, Gyökeres would give Arne Slot a centrepiece to build around, with solid experience negating any fear of prolonged integration. He would inherit the forward baton from a generation that delivered glory and set the tone for one that’s only just beginning to understand its ceiling. Salah is still here, Wirtz is coming, and Gyökeres might just be the final hammer blow in a summer of surgical precision. Make no mistake, if these prospective dead come to light, dominance could well follow

Final Word

Liverpool is building something different and it’s a wonderful sight to behold. This is not nostalgia-based recruitment, but the product of cold, effective planning that has been a year in the making. Viktor Gyökeres is no vanity purchase—he’s a title defender and a potential Champions League difference-maker. With the rest of Europe dithering, Liverpool’s intent could bring them back to the summit again and again.

And in Gyökeres, they might just have found the forward to carry them there and keep them on top for years to come.