24-year-old Brazilian forward Lucas Paquetá has been gaining plaudits for his performances with Lyon this season and he could be the perfect striking solution for Liverpool this summer if Roberto Firmino leaves the club.
Scoring eight times and assisting four in 24 appearances for Lyon this campaign, the former AC Milan man has been tearing it up in Ligue 1 and the Europa League, after joining from the San Siro in the summer transfer window.
One word to describe the Brazilian is resourceful; he is comfortable playing anywhere on the front line, as a false nine and in the attacking midfield position, perfect when you consider Liverpool’s forward-thinking style of play.
Whether or not Paquetá has proven he is good enough to start in Liverpool’s starting XI is questionable, however, he could be a valuable squad player and fill the false nine void Roberto Firmino would leave if he parted ways with the Reds.
Roberto Firmino tipped to leave Liverpool in shock January transfer#LFC https://t.co/WuSVN93nVY
— Liverpool FC News (@LivEchoLFC) January 1, 2022
Transfermarkt, currently rate Paquetá’s value at £31.50 million, not exactly cheap for someone who would ultimately be a squad player for Jurgen Klopp’s team, but if his Ligue 1 form is anything to go by he could be a shrewd acquisition.
Although Liverpool may face competition if they decided to pursue Paquetá, it was reported by Marca that Newcastle have also been linked with the forward in recent weeks, Paquetá reportedly turning down a move to Eddie Howe’s revolution this month in favour of a bigger opportunity this summer.
Any move for the Ligue 1 star would largely depend on Firmino’s departure from Anfield, whose contract expires in 2023, with talks about his future expected to take place in the coming months.