Liverpool miss Roberto Firmino. The attacking maestro was one of the most unique Premier League stars in the business, so selfless and dynamic as he pulled Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane's strings.
He won it all, the full gamut, but Firmino, now 33, left for the Saudi Pro League when his contract expired in 2023. Anfield's frontline has never quite been the same.
firmino-liverpool-premier-league
His replacement, Darwin Nunez, 25, has failed to live up to the lofty price tag and appears set to depart himself this summer, so addressing the issue at number nine is now one of the most pressing concerns for FSG's sporting director Richard Hughes.
Luckily, Liverpool have registered their interest in the perfect heir to Firmino's one-time place in the line-up after a huge development.
Latest as Liverpool chase new forward
As per Football Insider, Liverpool are monitoring Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Matheus Cunha ahead of the summer transfer window.
The Brazil international is hoping for a change of scenery and is believed to have been identified by FSG as the perfect replacement for the outgoing Nunez.
Cunha has been transparent in his desire to leave Molineux for pastures new this summer, though it's unlikely the Old Gold will allow him to leave for anything less than the £62.5m release clause inserted into his new contract, signed last month.
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That would place the in-demand star among the most expensive signings of the FSG era, behind only that of Darwin Nunez (£86m) and Virgil van Dijk (£75m), as well as ahead of Dominik Szoboszlai's £60m capture.
Liverpool's new Firmino
The longing for Firmino in all his pomp has remained strong over the past several years. Nunez has hardly nailed down the number nine spot and indeed faces an exit in the coming months to close a largely disappointing stint on Merseyside.
But in Cunha, Liverpool could find a dynamic and multi-faceted new forward to restore their frontline to the top of its game. Salah can't do it all alone, you see, and his haul of 32 this year actually accounts for 30% of his side's goals in all competitions.
roberto-firmino-liverpool-boxing-day-premier-league
Cunha, who can play as a centre-forward or off the left flank, could certainly help such matters, having scored 15 goals and laid on four assists for relegation-threatened Wolves this term.
Below, we've put together a table comparing Cunha's metrics in the Premier League this season against Firmino's during the 2019/20 campaign, when Liverpool last won the top-flight title.
Cunha vs Firmino in the Premier League
Stats (per 90)
Goals scored
Assists
Total shots
Shot-creating actions
Progressive passes
Progressive carries
Successful take-ons
Ball recoveries
Tackles + interceptions
Data via FBref
BBC Sport pundit Micah Richards said it best: "His football IQ is absolutely sensational. He's the one who can unlock the doors. He finds the little pockets of space and makes the right decisions at the right times."
Now you see the similarities, now you see that Cunha could be Cunha reborn on Merseyside. Both players encapsulate a range of areas that leave them a cut above the majority of their positional rivals.
Anfield has already been treated to Cunha's expertise this term, the Brazilian scoring an absolute pearler in the anxiety-inducing meeting between the sides in February, Liverpool only just hanging on to their win.
It was a lovely goal, but the comparisons between Cunha and his countryman Firmino are found more accurately through shared silkiness on the ball, deft movements and sharp intelligence that merge together to create a truly special skill set.
Having also won 5.7 duels per game this year, as per Sofascore, and created 12 big chances for his teammates, the 25-year-old could be the next big thing at Anfield, playing centrally to feed the likes of Salah and Cody Gakpo while wreaking havoc himself.
Cunha
An "incredible" player, as per former boss Gary O'Neil, Cunha won't come cheap, but Liverpool could revive the spirit of Firmino with this signing, and FSG need to get it done.
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