Come in, Number Nine, Your Time's Up

Liverpool haven't got much productivity from their central forwards this season. What is Arne Slot looking for and which striker should the Reds buy?

Now that Liverpool have secured the Premier League title, we can focus on what football is really all about: transfers.

Not for me, Clive. This promises to be a fascinating summer at the club, though. The Reds have won the league with Arne Slot using an entirely inherited squad, save for Federico Chiesa playing for about half an hour.

Unless he (or a youth team player) is given a pity start in the final four matches, which Slot has said may happen, Liverpool will be the first English champions for over 50 years who didn’t put a new player in their starting XI at any point¹. The business the club conducts this summer will give clear indications who Slot trusts to be part of what truly becomes his team over the years ahead.

Perhaps Chiesa could start up front before 2024/25 is out. Slot doesn’t appear to have faith in Darwin Núñez, while Diogo Jota remains out of form since returning from injury. For all his flaws, the Uruguayan was previously a reliable source of shots. Darwin made things happen, it’s just that neither he nor anyone else knew what they were going to be.

A recent issue of the The Transfer Flow newsletter showed that the former Benfica man doesn’t even shoot that often any more. As writer Kim McCauley put it, “This shot map makes me sad. I’m sorry for putting it on your screen.”

Anyone who has watched Liverpool this season knows they are not relying on their central forward for goals. The starter on the right - you may know him as Mohamed Salah - has scored in 28 games in all competitions, while the occupant of the berth on the left has netted in 18 matches.

Starting centre forwards have scored in 13 games, only two more than the men stationed in the number 10 role. That position has come under criticism for not contributing enough, yet their output looks more reasonable by these standards.

Luis Díaz is unlikely to be the answer. His goal in the recent win over Tottenham will be remembered for technically securing the title, but it ended a run of seven league starts in the middle without scoring.

Just one of Díaz’s inclusions at centre forward came without at least one of Jota or Núñez on the bench (and often both). Slot has persisted with a misfiring, out-of-position winger over his strikers. If not their number one priority this summer, a new centre-forward must be on Liverpool’s wish list.

The role has certainly evolved since Slot replaced Jürgen Klopp, which has likely made it harder for the existing players to adapt. Let’s dig into a little data.