Liverpool have lined up Wolves midfielder Matheus Nunes as their Plan B should they miss out on Jude Bellingham. Will they be able to get him this winter?
The Reds have got off to their worst ever Premier League start under Jurgen Klopp this season and desperately need to rejuvenate their midfield.
Each of Thiago Alcantara, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita has struggled with injury this season and even Arthur Melo, signed as an emergency loan from Juventus, is yet to play due to thigh surgery.
READ: Who is Matheus Nunes? The €50m Sporting star wanted by Liverpool
James Milner and Jordan Henderson are 37 and 32 respectively, meanwhile.
Bellingham has long been Klopp’s primary transfer target, the hope that the Borussia Dortmund man would have a Steven Gerrard-esque impact on the Liverpool midfield for a generation, but Real Madrid have reportedly pulled to the front of the queue for his services.
Nunes would be a fine alternative, but transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano doesn’t see a deal for the Portuguese happening this winter.
Nunes highlights from his time at Sporting
Matheus Nunes is super smooth 🤩
The Sporting CP midfielder is wanted by a clutch of teams – and it’s easy to see why.pic.twitter.com/UCTX8lNVCX
— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) June 20, 2022
“Liverpool are monitoring Matheus Nunes alongside other candidates for the summer transfer window,” he wrote in his Caught Offside column. “He’s always been appreciated, already when he was at Sporting.
READ: 10 players who could join Liverpool in January
“The main focus remains Jude Bellingham, Nunes is one of the midfielders they like; but nothing will happen in January for Nunes.”
Nunes remains under contract with Wolves until June 2027, and the Molineux club would demand more than the €30.9m the Brazil-born midfielder is rated at by Football Transfers’ in-house algorithm as they look to pull away from relegation danger in the second half of the season.
Nunes, who can play multiple midfield positions, has received more progressive midfield passes than 96 per cent of Premier League players in his position over the last year, and could be a fine addition at Anfield, but it looks like they will have to wait.