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3 hours ago
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Liverpool fans are hoping to see a new striker at Anfield next season as Arne Slot plots his Premier League title defence in 2024/25.
Despite Slot warning the Reds faithful not to expect huge changes in his squad, targets are being lined up, as hinted by club captain Virgil van Dijk.
Securing contract extensions for Van Dijk and attacking talisman Mohamed Salah are two vital pieces of business already wrapped up on Merseyside but Slot wants to bring in some help for the Egyptian.
Salah has already netted 28 Premier League goals so far this season as the propeller for Liverpool's second EPL title in five years.
However, the club are aiming to lighten the burden on him, with a new central attacker viewed as a priority, as Darwin Nunez looks set to move on.
Nunez has struggled to impress Slot and the club are hoping to offload him in the months ahead amid interest from former side Benfica and Atletico Madrid.
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If Slot can move Nunez on, that will boost his transfer budget, but a move for Newcastle star Alexander Isak is expected to be out of reach with the Magpies quoting interested parties an EPL record fee of £150m [$200m].
Former Reds hitman Robbie Fowler has offered an alternative suggestion to Slot that fits the mould as an experienced Premier League goal scorer.
"The problem is clubs know Liverpool are potentially on the lookout for a No.9, so prices will become silly," he told an interview with The I.
"If you look at Isak, he’s going to be £100m+ easily. He’s a wonderful player, but Liverpool may not want to pay that, and they’ll look around.
"You could look at Ollie Watkins.
"He doesn’t really fit the model in terms of what Liverpool want, given his age, but I’d go and get him for a couple of years because he’s a tremendous player and established and experienced in the Premier League."
Ollie Watkins' Aston Villa contract, transfer value, goal stats
Fowler's point of Watkins not fitting with Liverpool's strategy is a key one with the 29-year-old above the age of most targets but his numbers are impressive.
The England international has scored over 10 EPL goals in each of the last five seasons - with 2023/24 his best campaign on 19 - plus 15 netted in the current campaign.
Salah is the only player to hit double figures in the league for Liverpool in that same period with Nunez only managing five so far in 2024/25.
Watkins' contract at Villa Park runs until 2028, and Unai Emery could be faced with a major call on his main striker this summer, if Villa miss out on the cash pot of UEFA Champions League football for 2025/26.
If Emery strikes at the right time, he could secure around £50m [$67m] for Watkins, with Arsenal also in the running for his No.11.
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