Christopher Nkunku could have been an ‘essential’ replacement for Liverpool. The Reds reportedly rejected the chance to sign him.
The Telegraph reports that Liverpool had a chance to sign Christopher Nkunku in 2022. They said no, however, and now the Frenchman will join Chelsea.
The Mirror are one of many saying there’s a £53m deal in place. Nkunku should leave RB Leipzig at the end of the season, moving to Stamford Bridge as a star signing.
Liverpool will watch keenly, of course. Here’s a player they decided not to go for – although the reasons for that aren’t 100 per cent clear. For one, it’s entirely possible that they’d already signed Darwin Nunez by the time they got the proposal for Nkunku.
The big question is whether Liverpool should have prioritised the player. We think Nkunku could have fixed a very difficult problem in the squad – and the Reds blew their chance.
Christopher Nkunku for Liverpool
Nkunku is far more than just a goalscorer. His record is fantastic – 12 goals in 15 Bundesliga games this season – but he’s also capable of playing in an attacking midfield role.
It makes him somewhat similar to Roberto Firmino. The Brazilian doesn’t boast a goal record like Nkunku but there’s a comparison as strikers who like to drop deep and pick up the ball.
Liverpool have thrived with Firmino in that role. He’s been a world-class False 9, operating as both a centre-forward and a no.10. The Reds rely on him to be the link with midfield, create space for other forwards, and help move the ball between the lines.
Jurgen Klopp called him ‘essential’ earlier this season and Firmino is absolutely that. Only, Liverpool are moving away from that kind of forward with Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan doesn’t drop deep to pick up the ball and instead leads the line in a more traditional manor.
But that means Liverpool simply do not have the same kind of pathway to attack. Here are some stats for you: Firmino averages 32 passes per game in the Premier League this season. Nunez averages 13. [Stats per Whoscored]
That’s 19 times fewer per game that Liverpool move the ball to their striker. No matter what you think of Nunez – and we think he’s great – it’s a different style of football and a move away from what made the Reds successful.
Which brings us back to Nkunku. He averages 28 passes in the Bundesliga – a figure much more in line with Firmino. He essentially does the linkup play but adds more goals.
With all the talk of Liverpool needing to refresh their midfield or get back to what made them successful, we can’t help but feel they missed a chance to find Firmino’s ideal replacement here.
That’s something we actually felt last April. Now knowing that Liverpool had the opportunity to sign Nkunku, we think it’s a decision they could come to regret.
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