Liverpool could sign “De Bruyne-esque” star for £60m

Liverpool faced the incredibly difficult task of replacing Jurgen Klopp in the summer after he decided to step away from Anfield after almost a decade of service.

The German manager announced his departure in January of last year and officially left at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, after winning one Premier League title and one Champions League trophy during his time on Merseyside.

Arne Slot came in from Feyenoord to lead a new era for the Reds and only bolstered the squad with one addition in the summer transfer window, which was the signing of Federico Chiesa on a permanent deal.

The Dutch head coach has done a spectacular job at Anfield, so far, as his team is currently top of the Premier League table and has already qualified for the knock-out stages of the Champions League.

Mo Salah’s return of 19 goals and 13 assists on the right wing and Cody Gakpo’s return of eight goals and three assists on the left flank has helped to fire Liverpool to the top of the table, despite not having a consistent and reliable number nine option.

The Reds have failed to find a striker who can be relied upon to deliver week-in-week-out as a centre-forward in the Premier League since Roberto Firmino’s time at the club.

Why Roberto Firmino was a star for Liverpool

Liverpool signed the Brazil international from Hoffenheim in the summer of 2015, shortly before Klopp’s arrival at Anfield, for a reported fee of £21.3m.

The bulk of his appearances for the Bundesliga side came as either an attacking midfielder or a second striker, but he eventually found his place as a centre-forward for Klopp for the majority of his time at Liverpool.

257 of his 362 appearances for the Reds came as an out-and-out number nine and he was an integral part of the club’s success in the Premier League and the Champions League as part of an exceptional front three alongside Salah and Sadio Mane.

Firmino made the attack tick with his ability to drag centre-backs up the pitch to create space for Salah and Mane to make runs in behind, whilst also using his incredible technical quality and fantastic passing range to provide assists for the wingers.

The 33-year-old ended his career at Anfield with an excellent return of 111 goals and 75 assists in all competitions, which shows that he provided quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals on a consistent basis as a centre-forward for the club.

Darwin Nunez, who has scored four goals and provided two assists in 17 Premier League matches this season, does not offer the same level of quality or consistency in the final third at this moment in time.

Slot, however, could unearth his own version of Firmino by dipping into the January transfer window to sign one of the club’s reported targets.

Liverpool eyeing Premier League striker

Football Insider reported last month that Liverpool are interested in Brighton & Hove Albion centre-forward Joao Pedro, as they look at potential targets to bolster their attacking options.

The outlet claimed that the Reds are plotting a move for the Brazilian dynamo and that they have been keeping tabs on his performances for the Premier League side, to see how he has developed this season.

It added that the former Watford attacker would be open to moving on from the Seagulls if the chance to join one of the top clubs in the division came around, which Liverpool – sat at the top of the table – certainly are.

Brighton paid £30m to sign the 23-year-old star from Watford in the summer of 2023 and Football Insider stated that they would want at least £60m to consider parting ways with the talented youngster during the January transfer window.

However, the report also revealed that a transfer is more likely to happen in the summer, at the end of the season, due to how tough Brighton are to negotiate with.

Whether Liverpool can wrap up a deal to sign Pedro this month or if they wait until the summer, the Brazilian forward could come in as Slot’s own version of Firmino to bolster the attack.

Why Joao Pedro could be Roberto Firmino 2.0

Aside from the obvious comparison of them both being Brazilian strikers who have played in the Premier League, the Brighton dynamo is also a number nine who has the quality to provide both goals and assists for his side.

The Brazil international showcased his ability as a goalscorer in his debut season with the south coast club, with a return of 20 goals in 40 matches in all competitions.

Pedro, who scored nine goals in 19 starts in the Premier League last term, has flourished as both a scorer and a creator of gals in the current top-flight campaign.

The Brazilian magician left former Spurs defender Michael Dawson amazed with his “De Bruyne-esque” pass to Karou Mitoma against Bournemouth earlier, which was one of the five assists he has registered so far. That was particularly high praise given that Kevin de Bruyne has 173 assists for Manchester City to date.

He currently ranks within the top 2% of Premier League forwards for assists per 90 (0.35) and this illustrates his immense creativity, as he is one of the best in his position at setting up teammates for goals in the league.

As you can see in the table above, Pedro has been a well-rounded centre-forward for Brighton this season with his ability to score and create goals consistently.

His return of ten direct goal contributions in 15 starts also speaks to his consistency in the final third, which is another reason why he could be Firmino 2.0 for Liverpool if the club can strike a deal for his services.

The Brazil international, who still has time left to develop and improve at the age of 23, has the technical ability, finishing quality, and creativity to be Slot’s own version of the former Reds icon, as well as a terrific teammate for Salah and Gakpo moving forward.