Liverpool have one of the best No. 9’s in the Premier League in Roberto Firmino, but it may be wise for the Reds to start looking at young options who can function as an understudy to him or even play a totally different role for the club as a more traditional “9”.
Mohamed Salah had to carry the full goal-scoring burden for the Reds. He was amazing, but it’s not ideal to have just one consistent scorer. Sadio Mane should improve next season after a down year, loanee Harvey Elliott has promise, and Diogo Jota is only going to get even better. However, Jurgen Klopp may want Liverpool to consider a young striker this summer.
So here are four options worth monitoring in the coming months.
Sevilla ST Youssef En-Nesyri
After a promising 2019-2020 season in LaLiga, Youssef En-Nesyri was a full-blown breakout star for Champions League side Sevilla. He has established himself as one of the best strikers in Spanish football, as he has a keen eye for goal and moves brilliantly around the penalty area.
Sevilla would not sell En-Nesyri for cheap, and he would be a totally different striker to what Liverpool currently have. So he’s probably not a realistic signing. But he’s such an incredible player that the Reds have to watch him closely.
Just 23 years old, En-Nesyri scored a healthy 18 goals in LaLiga with an additional six in the Champions League. He has what it takes to compete at the highest level and could become world-class in the next few years.
Stuttgart ST Sasa Kalajdzic
Another 23-year-old striker for Liverpool to monitor, Sasa Kalajdzic had a breakout season for VfB Stuttgart in the club’s return to Germany’s top flight this season. Kalajdzic scored just two fewer league goals than Youssef En-Nesyri, finding the back of the net 16 times in a modest 2,140 minutes.
Overshadowed by wide men Silas Wamangituka and Borna Sosa, Kaladzjic was a great player in his own right for a surprisingly competitive Stuttgart side. He’s part of a talented young nucleus there and very much someone worthy of being linked with Liverpool when you look at his instinctive finishing.
Bundesliga players have a stigma now, because the league is seen as lesser to the Premier League and too easy for attackers. But quite a few players have turned that narrative on its head, including players Jurgen Klopp has plucked from the league. So I wouldn’t hold Kalajdzic’s league against him, since that’s an unfair generalization.
Kalajdzic isn’t just a goal-scorer either. He provided his Stuttgart teammates with five assists, and as his all-around game develops, that could bode well for his fit with Klopp’s Liverpool, which prioritizes a striker’s ability to link up play and be a part of a quick, fluid, and well-rounded attack.
Fiorentina ST Dusan Vlahovic
Dusan Vlahovic is probably going to be too expensive for Liverpool and several other clubs, because he was such a massive breakout star in the second half of the Serie A season. Fiorentina know his value as a top young striker, and they are going to try to get more than 50 million euros for the Serbian international.
After a promising start to the season. Vlahovic exploded with 12 goals in a span of 9 matches in the spring. It seemed like he could not miss in front of goal, and he was constantly popping up in dangerous areas. He’s a fantastic shooter with no shortage of athletic ability.
Though he only has three assists and a passing accuracy percentage under 70, WhoScored.com tagged the 21-year-old striker with nearly two fouls drawn per game. That shows you he can impact the game significantly on the ball and help a top team out in more ways than just his goals. And that’s huge because, well, he scored a LOT of goals.
The Fiorentina man will want to prove his hot streak in the spring was not a flash in the pan. But judging by how dominant he was, we have to say he looks legit. There’s a risk in splashing so much money for Vlahovic, but if his price goes down in the future, Liverpool should be very interested. Vlahovic has huge upside at 21 and could become a truly world-class striker.
Lorient ST Terem Moffi
The final man to spotlight on this list of possible young striker options for Liverpool this summer is Terem Moffi of Lorient. Les Merlus escaped relegation in 16th place, and Moffi is one of the players they have to thank profusely for staying in France’s top flight. But Moffi won’t last long in Lorient. He could even get a big move this summer.
Out of the players on this list, Moffi might be the least ready for a jump to an elite club like Liverpool, but he certainly belongs in the conversation. Whereas Dusan Vlahovic gets a lot of love, Moffi is flying under the radar too much for my liking.
The 22-year-old scored 14 goals this past season, helping Lorient reach a total of 50 goals. He is an exciting player to watch capable of scoring goals from nothing, and you get the sense that we could see more from his all-around game at a more competitive side.
Moffi may need to go to a mid-level club first before thinking about a huge move to, say, Liverpool, but it’s always good to get in the door early on a player like him. He is seriously undervalued, and he’s someone the Reds should have on their watch list, even if they’d probably wait another year to two before making a swoop.