Everyone at Football FanCast is devastated by the tragic passing of Diogo Jota and Andre Silva. We are sending our thoughts and prayers to their friends, families, teammates and loved ones.
Liverpool have reportedly had a "phone call" with the representatives of a big-money attacking player, as they look to sign a replacement for Darwin Nunez.
Slot's beautiful Jota tribute before Preston
The Reds started their pre-season with a 3-1 win away to Preston North End on Sunday afternoon, on what was an emotional occasion after the tragic passing of Diogo Jota earlier this month.
Prior to the game, Arne Slot provided some beautiful words on the Portuguese, showing exactly why he was such a perfect successor to Jurgen Klopp.
"Nothing seems to be important if we think of what has happened. But we are a football club and we need to train and we need to play again, if we want it or not. What I’ve said to the players, I can say it here as well. It’s very difficult to find the right words because we constantly debate what is appropriate. What is appropriate in our actions? What is appropriate [for] what we have to say? Can we train again? Can we laugh again? Can we be angry if there’s a wrong decision?
Liverpool forward Diogo Jota
"And I’ve said to them, maybe the best thing for us to do is handle this situation like Jota was. And what I meant with that is that Jota was always himself, it didn’t matter if he was talking to me, to his teammates, to the staff, he was always himself. So let us try to be ourselves as well. So, if we want to laugh we laugh; if we want to cry we’re going to cry. If they want to train they can train, if they don’t want to train they can not train. But be yourself, don’t think you have to be different than your emotions tell you."
Now, it is a case of Slot and his Liverpool players trying to achieve lots of success with Jota in their thoughts, and further signings may help in that respect. A new update has now emerged regarding a potential addition in the final third.
Liverpool have "phone call" with £78m Nunez replacement
According to journalist Sebastien Vidal on X, Liverpool have been in contact with a "phone call" to RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko's agents about a £78m move to Anfield, coming in to replace the likely-to-leave Nunez, who scored against Preston.
Sesko feels like an ideal option to come in and lead the line for the Reds, considering it looks increasingly unlikely that they will be able to sign Alexander Isak from Newcastle United.
The 22-year-old is already such a prolific and dominant striker, scoring 39 goals in 87 appearances for Leipzig, as well as 16 in 41 caps for Slovenia.
florian-wirtz-bayer-leverkusen Related
[Slot's next Wirtz: Liverpool in contact to sign "the new Haaland" for £78m](https://www.footballfancast.com/slots-next-wirtz-liverpool-in-contact-to-sign-benjamin-sesko/ "Slot's next Wirtz: Liverpool in contact to sign "the new Haaland" for £78m")
Liverpool are planning to sign a new striker in the summer transfer market.
If Liverpool could sign Sesko on top of Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez this summer, it would be outstanding business, with a new backup centre-back potentially the next priority after Jarell Quansah's move to Bayer Leverkusen.