Report: Liverpool Settle on Striker Plan for Life After Darwin Nunez | OneFootball

Liverpool are reportedly content with the prospect of not signing a recognised striker this summer, even if they can secure a lucrative exit for Darwin Núñez.

The Reds have been the most active club during the first few weeks of this summer’s transfer window. Even before taking the final steps in the deal for Milos Kerkez, Liverpool’s total spend dwarfs every other club across the globe and is almost quadruple their modest outlay from last summer.

Record revenues and a tight bank balance in years gone by ensures that Liverpool are not beholden to the Premier League’s strict financial regulations, yet there is no guarantee that this summer’s spending will stretch to a new striker.

Núñez is thought to be willing to join Napoli this summer, ending his Liverpool career after three underwhelming seasons. The clubs still need to agree on a suitable fee—the Reds are thought to be demanding in excess of £60 million ($81 million)—but even if they can extract such a sum, The Athletic claim that there is “nothing significant” when it comes to lining up a replacement.

Alexander Isak enjoyed his most prolific season for Newcastle during the 2024–25 campaign. / IMAGO/Colorsport

Liverpool—and the rest of the Premier League and beyond—are keen admirers of Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, while there has also been a squall of interest in Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitiké. Isak has effectively been priced out of the market by the Magpies and Frankfurt are thought to be holding firm on their €100 million (£85.6 million, $115.5 million) asking price for their French starlet.

The club’s interest in Ekitiké is described as “serious” by Sky Sport Germany’s Florian Plettenberg. Yet, beyond the finances involved, there is also the prospect of rival bids from Manchester United and Chelsea to consider.

The Athletic outlines how the transformative arrival of Florian Wirtz, Liverpool’s record-breaking recruit who is comfortable in a variety of attacking positions (although often behind a fixed centre-forward), may negate the need for an immediate replacement. Arne Slot, after all, has already one Premier League title without a settled striker.

Núñez and Diogo Jota combined for just 11 top-flight goals across the 2024–25 campaign, fewer than Luis Díaz managed on his own. Mohamed Salah accounted for the swollen majority of Liverpool’s output and will now be joined by Wirtz, the only other player in Europe’s top five leagues who has hit double digits for goals and assists in each of the past two seasons.