It’s time for the Anfield auditions! Is Matheus Nunes, a Guardiola favorite, the solution to Liverpool’s midfield prayers?
Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes will play Liverpool in the FA Cup on Saturday, although he has been heavily linked with a transfer to Merseyside in the summer.
Could Liverpool supporters be getting their first look at the guy who will be expected to assist them to overcome their midfield problems next season?
Matheus Nunes likely start for Wolves against Liverpool in the third round of the FA Cup on Saturday night, barring a late injury or a surprise pick by Julen Lopetegui, and the Portuguese international has plenty of motivation to play well.
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According to reports this week, the 24-year-old is a genuine transfer target for the Reds, with a £44 million (€50m/$52m) deal already in the works.
Liverpool is thought to have made a commitment to bring Nunes back when he went to Molineux from Sporting Lisbon in August, and they want to keep that promise at the conclusion of the season.
Of course, this raises a slew of issues. For instance, how can you “commit to a bid” without really making one?
Why didn’t Liverpool buy Nunes in the summer, when he was plainly available for £38m (€43m/$45m)?
What has he done at Wolves to justify a £6 million (€7 million/$7 million) boost in value? And why has the story come out now, when the Reds’ need for midfield reinforcement is immediate rather than upcoming?
Klopp was not questioned about Nunes during his pre-match press conference on Friday, and he would have definitely answered any questions in any event.
“We discuss such matters in the boardroom, not in the press room,” his assistant, Pep Lijnders, stated last month.
Nunes is a “long-standing goal”
According to the club, Nunes is a “long-standing goal” and one of many names under consideration for the summer, when Liverpool will want to sign Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham above all else.
In any event, a January move is out of the question. FIFA regulations state that a player cannot play for three teams in the same season, and Nunes has already featured twice for Sporting and 17 times for Wolves this season.
He has had a rough time in England thus far, with Wolves battling for consistency and Lopetegui having replaced the dismissed Bruno Lage in November.
His performances have been unimpressive, but Liverpool supporters shouldn’t be too concerned.
Nunes’ statistics
After all, Mohamed Salah barely made his Premier League debut, while Javier Mascherano struggled to break into the West Ham club before becoming a fantastic purchase for the Reds.
Nunes’ statistics, both at Wolves and formerly at Sporting, reveal he is an all-rounder, a player who loves to take shots and play long passes but also carries the ball when necessary.
He was the most fouled player in Portugal last season, and his efforts earned him the title of “one of the finest players in the world today” Pep Guardiola.
It remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola intends to compete with Klopp for his signing, but there is no doubt that Liverpool’s need for a top-class, all-round midfielder (or two) is higher right now.
They appear set to lose Naby Keita, James Milner, and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on free transfers at the end of the season, and with Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara in their 30s, and Fabinho’s form having plummeted this season, the burden on youngsters like Harvey Elliott, Curtis Jones, and teenage starlet Stefan Bajcetic is already too great.
Surgery in the center of the pitch is necessary
The manner in which Liverpool has been shaken by opponents like Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Leeds, and, most recently, Brentford leaves no question in the club’s mind that surgery in the center of the pitch is necessary.
Nunes certainly checks a lot of boxes. He is still young enough to develop and improve, but he has received plenty of senior experience at a high level.
He has played Champions League football, speaks fine English (his stepfather is from Sunderland), and will have 12 months of Premier League experience, both good and bad, by the time the summer arrives.
Liverpool has an excellent connection with Gestifute
Liverpool have an excellent connection with Gestifute, the Jorge Mendes-led agency that represents him, having signed Fabinho, Diogo Jota, and Darwin Nunez in recent seasons, and, perhaps more importantly, appears to understand the boundaries of any future Nunes deal.
He does not have a release clause at Wolves, but there will be no absurd inflation of his transfer cost, as was the case with Enzo Fernandez, allowing the club to organize the rest of their business more smoothly.
Meanwhile, the Brazilian-born star, who moved to Portugal when he was 12 and has 11 caps for his new nation, will want to add to Liverpool’s difficulties.
The Reds are already out of the Carabao Cup and 16 points off the top of the Premier League, so the FA Cup may be their best chance of a trophy this season.
On Saturday night, Klopp promised a strong lineup, with new addition Cody Gakpo expected to make his debut.
Of course, the Dutch international should receive a standing ovation from his new fans, but it would not be surprising if plenty of attention is attracted to Wolves’ No.27 on the night as well.
Is this Nunes’ big audition for Anfield? The only way to know is to wait and see.
