Who Should Be Liverpool’s Long Term Number Nine? | OneFootball

By Mark Strickland

Injuries are temporary. Class is permanent.

It took Diogo Jota all of seven minutes and one shot to score on his return in the 2-2 home draw against Fulham on Saturday.

It is not hyperbole to say that if Jota stays fit for the rest of the season, Liverpool will win the league.

They may win it without him, but he is the final piece of the puzzle.

However, in his press conference before Southampton in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, Slot revealed the Portugal international was “not completely fit”.

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Darwin Nunez started the game and scored.

If Jota stays fit, the pressure on Nunez will be eased. He would be a squad player, not the starting centre-forward: Jota number one, Nunez number two, and Diaz number three as an alternative who can play down the middle.

But is that good enough for the Reds’ record signing?

And Jota has missed 80 games for Liverpool through injury – more than half as many as he has played (157).

Sadly, history suggests neither Jota nor Nunez can be relied upon, so who could be Liverpool’s new number nine?

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Viktor Gyokeres

The Sporting striker has scored nearly a goal per game in 2024 (60 goals in 61 games) which is undeniably impressive.

The concern is Nunez had a good record too, scoring 26 goals in 28 Portuguese league games in the 2021-22 campaign.

As Sky Sports predicted back in 1992, the Premier League is a “whole new ball game” compared to anywhere else.

Nunez has failed to adapt to English football, and Diaz was also struggling to add the end product to his game – until this term under the tutelage of Arne Slot.

Gyokeres played under Ruben Amorin at Sporting as recently as last month so Manchester United would be the obvious destination, but Liverpool have beaten the Red Devils to several players recently.

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Omar Marmoush

The Reds’ priority is to retain their current Egyptian King, Mohamed Salah, but his Marmoush would be a good addition.

His stats like Gyokeres are impressive – 13 goals in 14 games, only one behind Harry Kane, but again the Bundesliga is not the Premier League.

Joao Pedro

That brings us to Joao Pedro of Brighton & Hove Albion.

He has scored a modest four goals in ten this season, but notably three of which have come against “top-six” United, Arsenal and City.

Matheus Cunha

Cunha has been Wolves’ shining light in a tough season so far with Gary O’Neil sacked on Sunday after a 2-1 home defeat to Ipswich.

However, despite scoring in the game, Cunha was involved in a violent incident with an Ipswich staff member which will likely lead to a suspension.

Jonathan David

Finally, it feels like Jonathan David of Lille is going under the radar, but he is the top goalscorer in Ligue 1 despite them only sitting fourth.

All five are valid options and it remains likely Slot will add an “out-and-out number nine”.

Roberto Firmino as a false nine is a distant memory.

Which of them would you like, or would you want someone else?