Liverpool target Matheus Nunes is “rated very highly” at Anfield, according to Ryan Taylor.
The Lowdown: Interest in Nunes
The Portuguese midfielder only arrived in the Premier League in the summer when he joined Wolverhampton Wanderers for a club-record £42.2m (via Sky Sports) from Sporting.
But following 22 appearances in all competitions for the Molineux side so far, he’s caught the eye of Jurgen Klopp, with Sky Sports reporting Liverpool’s interest in the 24-year-old at the beginning of the window.
However, the article claims a summer move is more likely with Wolves now valuing the player at over £50m amid interest from Manchester City as well.
The Latest: Taylor’s comments
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Daily Express journalist Taylor claims the Reds held interest in Nunes last summer before Wolves snapped him up and still hold that same eagerness to bring him to Anfield.
He said: “I think it’s clear at the moment that Nunes is actually a player that is rated very highly by Liverpool. I know the reports the other week came out of the blue, but if you rewind the clock to last summer, they were actually very interested in signing the player from Sporting.
“In the end, they decided to prioritise a striker to replace Mane, or forward as such in [Darwin] Nunez,”.
The Verdict: Midfielder reinforcements needed
Liverpool have endured a woeful season so far with them currently ninth and 10 points off the top four, with their struggles in midfield highlighted as an area needing bolstering amid the futures of a number of their current crop up in the air.
Midfielders Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Arthur Melo all see their current deals expire at the end of the season, with no extensions agreed for any of them so far.
This could leave them down to bare bones in the middle of the park in the near future, hence their interest in Nunes.
It could well be time for Klopp to hit the reset button on the midfield with Nunes an intriguing option. He ranks in the top 15% for touches in the attacking penalty area amongst midfielders in top European competitions over the past year, while he is also in the top 5% for progressive passes received (via FBref), showing his prowess in operating as an attacking option in midfield.
Having bought him so recently, the Old Gold are surely almost certain to want an advance on their £42.2m investment, especially if they survive relegation. Therefore, we believe Nunes won’t come cheap, and with the continued interest in Jude Bellingham amid an asking price of £130m, it could prove challenging to sign both in the same window.