Arne Slot NAMEDROPS his perfect Liverpool No9

Liverpool are set for an overhaul in the striker department next summer.

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Arne Slot remains unconvinced by the options at his disposal, including Darwin Nunez, Luis Diaz and Diogo Jota.

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Nunez was linked with a January exit and could well be in the final stages of his Anfield career.

Diaz, meanwhile, hasn’t been consistent enough in front of goal. An unsettled contract situation could necessitate his sale sooner rather than later.

Although Jota remains a reliable campaigner in front of goal, he hasn’t been able to stay fit on a regular basis.

And for those reasons the Reds are looking to shake up their frontline. Joao Pedro, Hugo Ekitike and Charles De Ketelaere are among the options discussed for a new Liverpool forward.

Arne Slot LOVES Matheus Cunha

But there is another quality player who has caught the eye of Slot and he doesn’t mind speaking about him in public.

Just before Christmas the Liverpool head coach opined that every Premier League club had at least one player capable of featuring for his side. And he followed through on that in his pre-match press conference ahead of the Wolves game this weekend.

Matheus Cunha, 25, has been a shining light for Wolves in a difficult season. With the side very much embroiled in a relegation fight, Cunha’s goals have helped them remain somewhat competitive.

The 11-cap Brazil international has scored 11 goals and made four assists in 23 top-flight matches this season.

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He signed a bumper new contract at the start of February - tying him to Molineux until 2029 - but it's widely expected he will depart before then.

That significantly improved his mood, with many Wolves fans complaining about his attitude over the past couple of months - a period that included a two-match ban for misconduct.

Cunha was signed from Atletico Madrid for around €50 million (£42m) back in 2023 and has established himself as one of the best operators outside the top clubs in that time. Currently Football Transfers gives Cunha an Estimated Transfer Value of €59.1m (£50m).

And Slot recognises that potential.

Slot's ringing endorsement

“He's a type of player that I'm referring to when I always say when I compare the leagues that I've worked in and this league,” he said on Friday. “I don't know exactly where Wolves is at the moment – 17th?

If you go to the Dutch league and you look at the number 17, there's no player that can play for Ajax, PSV or Feyenoord.

“But Matheus Cunha is a quality player and he has the quality to play for one of the top five teams in England.”

That is a close as it comes to a ringing endorsement from a rival manager.

Cunha, it must be said, is not a natural leader of the line, playing off the shoulder. He prefers playing in behind as a No10 or advanced midfielder. He has even featured on both wings for his current employers.

The former RB Leipzig centre-forward is a complete attacking all-rounder; roving around to find where he can make an impact.

Cunha often drifts left despite being named centrally and possesses a fearsome shooting threat from distance.

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He looks ready to spearhead a new generation for Slot at Liverpool not exactly as a No9 but certainly in and around the final third. Let’s see how he fares against the Reds on Sunday.

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Liverpool’s game against Wolves will kick-off at 14:00 GMT on Sunday 16th February.

The game will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Sports Main Event and Ultra HD.

Not a Sky subscriber? You can sign up here to watch the Reds live.