Liverpool's season ended on a sour note last night, losing 1-0 to Real Madrid in the Champions League final in Paris.
The game went the way many had expected. The Premier League side had most of the ball, while they also created the majority of the chances over the 90 minutes. However, Madrid picked their moments to strike and scored with their only shot on target of the game.
Not only was this a missed opportunity to have a historic campaign, but it could also be the final time we see Liverpool in their current form.
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There has been some speculation around the future of Sadio Mane, with the Senegalese star non-committal about his future in the buildup to yesterday's final. It now looks as though that game could have been his final appearance in a red shirt, with Fabrizio Romano reporting that the forward has opted to leave the club this summer.
Sadio Mané has decided to leave Liverpool this summer 🚨🔴 #LFC
He’s ready for a new experience after many special years with Reds - it will be confirmed to the club.
FC Bayern are strong contenders - but it’s still open and not completed as Sadio wanted to wait for the final. pic.twitter.com/hr6R5NmuZ0— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) May 29, 2022
Mane has only 12 months remaining on his current deal, meaning Liverpool could be open to selling him in the coming weeks. He has been heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich.
Liverpool fans could now be worried that the club will opt signing a replacement for him during the upcoming transfer window, with the signing of Luis Diaz in January possibly completed with the idea of him coming in for Mane when he left the club.
That would be a mistake. One of the main assets for Jurgen Klopp in the second half of the campaign was their strength in depth up front, something they can't afford to sacrifice if they are to compete for the biggest honours again next season.
With that in mind, here are five players they could target this summer. Considering Diaz's presence in the squad, a player with an ability to play through the middle as well as out wide could be seen as a priority.
Liverpool's possible Sadio Mane replacements
Jarrod Bowen (West Ham)
Bowen has been linked with Liverpool on a number of occasions over the last 12 months or so. Eyebrows were raised when his name was first suggested as a possible Jurgen Klopp target in the summer of 2021, but his form this season will certainly have caught the eye of the supporters.
The winger had a personal tally of 18 goals and 13 assists in all competitions, playing both off the right and through the middle. That adaptability would certainly be an attractive quality to have within a squad.
Bowen also fits the profile of recent Liverpool signings. They have made a habit of recruiting and improving players from less heralded Premier League clubs in their early to mid 20s, with Sadio Mane, Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk, and Diogo Jota all recent examples.
He wouldn't come cheap, but the Englishman could be the most likely target as things currently stand.
Darwin Nunez (Benfica)
Darwin Nunez has drawn plenty of admiring glances after his form for Benfica this season. He scored 34 goals in all competitions, including a pair of strikes against Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals.
It’s 3-3 on the night! 😱
No wonder Darwin Nunez is a wanted man 📰#UCL pic.twitter.com/biijNwUOGb— Watch the UCL on LiveScore 🇮🇪 (@LiveScoreIE) April 13, 2022
A more traditional number nine, he has been linked with most big European clubs in recent weeks. He is unlikely to come cheap either, with the Uruguay international having a rumoured buyout clause of of £125million in his contract. However, it has been suggested that Benfica would consider offers for around half that amount.
Nunez is a very different player to any others currently on the books at Liverpool, acting as more of an out-and-out goalscorer as a opposed to a dynamic forward. That could make him an attractive option, although there would surely be plenty of competition for the 22-year old's signature.
Christopher Nkunku (RB Leipzig)
Christopher Nknunku is arguably the biggest breakout star in European football this season. He had an absolutely remarkable campaign at RB Leipzig, registering a remarkable 35 goals and 20 assists in all competitions on his way to Bundesliga Player of the Season honours.
He seems like an ideal fit for Liverpool. Capable of playing anywhere across the front line, he would perfectly slot into the 'false 9' role that Mane had been occupying for the club in recent months.
Christopher Nkunku's hat-trick at Manchester City ⚽️⚽️⚽️@RBLeipzig_EN | #UCL pic.twitter.com/MjElfybQie
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) December 7, 2021
The fact that he is at RB Leipzig is also a massive boost. Not only do they play a similar style to Liverpool, but the two clubs also have a good relationship due to the deals to sign Naby Keita and Ibrahima Konate in recent seasons.
It has been suggested that a fee of £60million could be enough to secure his services that summer. If that is the case, Jurgen Klopp should make him his top target. At 24-years old, he is the ideal man to replace Sadio Mane.
Jonathan David (Lille)
Jonathan David is another names who fits Liverpool's criteria of being a young, rapidly improving player. Having burst onto the scene at Belgian club Gent, he has impressed at Lille over the last couple of seasons.
While his tally of 28 Ligue 1 goals across the last is not the most eye-catching number, he still has plenty of room to improve having only recently turned 22-years old. His international record of 20 goals in 30 appearances for Canada also points towards possible room for improvement in that department, while he also scored three times in this season's Champions League group stages.
🇨🇦 Jonathan David is going to be Lille’s main man against Chelsea
Watch out for him 👀💥pic.twitter.com/47s4lKKnM8— Wyngback Soccer (@wyngback) February 21, 2022
David operates through the middle, where his pace is a real problem for opposition defenders. He has been linked with Liverpool in the past and could be an option this summer, with Lille always open to offers for their best players.
Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid)
This seems a tad unlikely, but there have been some suggestions in recent times that Liverpool are closely monitoring Joao Felix's situation at Atletico Madrid.
The Portuguese star moved to the Spanish capital for a £113million fee back in 2019, although he has found it difficult to slot into Diego Simeone's playing style at times. He would certainly be more suited to Liverpool's free flowing approach, with the 22-year old also still in the infancy of his development as a player.
Felix would be an ideal 'false 9' in Klopp's system, possession the ability to drop deep and act as a playmaker while also having an eye for goal. He also randomly popped up at the Carabao Cup final earlier this year.
nothing to see here, but just Joao Felix watching LFC play at the Carabao Cup Final.... pic.twitter.com/4PLwm6AElu
— Jürgen's Kop (@whipsnade19) March 1, 2022
Felix is probably the most unrealistic name on this list, but Liverpool would certainly be interested were he to become available.
Summary
If all things were equal, Christopher Nkunku seems like the ideal target for Liverpool this summer. His versatility, playing style, and age profile makes him a perfect fit at Anfield. His transfer fee would also not be beyond the club's reach.
However, it remains to be seen if Jurgen Klopp opts to add to his squad in the months ahead. Should he choose to do so, there will be no shortage of intriguing options available.
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