Liverpool are about to sign Cody Gakpo. It would set off multiple transfer parallels with Luis Suárez, involving ramifications for a certain Darwin Núñez too.
A prolific young forward signed for Liverpool from the Dutch league. Somewhere, Darwin Núñez must have his head in his hands.
The Liverpool striker will certainly not be scared of competition. In any case, Cody Gakpo has done most of his best work from the flanks, suggesting the duo will end up as a partnership rather than a rivalry. But with Núñez already facing a barrage of Andy Carroll comparisons from the stands every week, the arrival of his very own Luis Suárez in the January transfer market might not do him any favours.
Fortunately, Núñez is actually a very different striker to Carroll. Slight physical resemblance aside (and let’s be honest, that ends at the pony tail), there’s really not many comparisons to draw — there can be no doubt about who would win in a sprint race, for one thing. Liverpool had an ill-fitting target man, and they now have an elite modern-day forward.
But looking at it from the other side of the coin, Gakpo could do very well indeed in the Suárez role. Much like the Uruguayan, he is arriving at Anfield under only limited pressure, with much of the scrutiny still on his more expensive strike partner. And having come from the Eredivisie, with no Champions League pedigree, expectations are set at a reasonably modest level.
Just like Suárez, there can be absolutely no doubt that he has outgrown the Netherlands. Gakpo has proved that with a remarkable nine goals and 12 assists in 14 league games with PSV this season, having previously plundered 25 goal contributions in the last full campaign.
The last half-season before Suárez joined Liverpool was notably similar. Having played 13 games with Ajax, he sat on seven goals and seven assists — actually behind Gakpo in both metrics, but with a similarly well-rounded return. Meanwhile, his previous full campaign was even more impressive, with an astonishing 35 goals and 17 assists recorded in 2009/10.
Like Suárez before him, Gakpo will end his time in the Netherlands as effectively the top marksman and top playmaker in the division, comprehensively proving his readiness for the next step up. But even the Uruguayan took some time to find his feet in the Premier League, and Liverpool fans will be ready to accept that — particularly with a relatively modest initial fee of £37m (€42m/$45m).
Which brings us back to Núñez. He could end up costing twice as much or more. And despite getting a six-month headstart, he is still just as under the spotlight now as he was in the summer. The Aston Villa game was a microcosm of his Liverpool career to date, with his elite movement carving out plenty of chances but his finishing letting him down. Forget Carroll — fans will be worried that they are witnessing another Timo Werner scenario.
But there is still plenty of time to turn that around. Unlike Carroll, Núñez was signed with a clear plan, one which is unaltered by Gakpo. And with such a selfless creator joining his side, the latest transfer might be exactly what he needs.
In fact, the ideal symbiotic relationship could blossom. Núñez takes the pressure off Gakpo, allowing him to do his best work. In turn, the new recruit can create even more chances for the front man, which purely by the law of large numbers should result in a hatful of goals.
Liverpool were ultimately deprived of a proper Carroll and Suárez link-up, although even that partnership was showing signs of promise before FSG decided to unceremoniously cut their losses. But both Gakpo and Núñez are in it for the long haul — and with the man signed from Benfica far better than the unflattering comparisons would have you believe, a deadly new duo may just have been formed.
SOURCE: liverpool.com
