4 weeks ago
76
Liverpool is expected to add a striker to the ranks this summer, especially if Darwin Nunez departs as expected. Nicolas Jackson has been mentioned as a left-field choice, and any interest is likely to be driven by Richard Hughes.
In many ways, Nunez and Jackson have endured similar struggles in the Premier League. While both have had a knack for getting into good positions and carving out chances for themselves, neither have excelled in tucking them away.
He would duly make for a somewhat underwhelming arrival at Anfield, or at least one that would come with a whole host of caveats and question marks. But Hughes' interest in the Senegal striker goes back some time.
According to The Athletic, Jackson was admired by Hughes while the latter was still at Bournemouth. While it is not overtly stated that he has carried that interest over to Liverpool, it is mentioned in the context of players who have been looked at this summer.
Those include Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike, Viktor Gyokeres, Victor Osimhen, and Joao Pedro. Treating this as a shortlist, Jackson would surely be toward the bottom of the pile — but there's every chance that he would also be the most attainable.
Joao Pedro has moved already, while Gyokeres is close to Arsenal. Osimhen is renowned for his hefty wage demands.
That leaves Ekitike and Isak. The former is perhaps the most sought-after young striker on the market, while the latter may not even be on the market at all.
Interestingly, Newcastle is positioning itself for Ekitike, albeit insisting that has no implications for Isak's future. Liverpool would be justified in waiting to see how that pans out before rushing into anything.
But if a move proves impossible, could Hughes revisit Jackson as a Plan B? If nothing else, Chelsea will surely be a willing seller.
After all, it has signed both Joao Pedro and Liam Delap this summer, effectively leaving Jackson in no-man's land. Keeping him for another season, where he is unlikely to feature much (there is no Conference League to keep fringe players happy this season), will do nothing for his future resale value.
Cashing in now for a modest fee would suit Chelsea. So it's at least worth a brief consideration, with Hughes' radar having appeared astute so far.
Jackson managed 10 league goals and five assists last term. That has to go down as a modest return from 30 league appearances — it was more than Nunez produced, admittedly, but from twice as many minutes.
The underlying numbers are a little better, with expected goals and expected assists in the top 20 per cent of forwards across Europe's top five leagues. And at 24, Jackson has time to develop.
But overall, the price would have to be very favorable to tempt Hughes into reviving his interest. Jackson might have made sense for Bournemouth, but Liverpool has to be setting its sights higher.
English (US) ·