Liverpool haven’t been at their best this season, but Arne Slot will be relieved to have seen signs of progress throughout December, after climbing to fifth in the Premier League and going on a six-match unbeaten run.
However, the champions found only vestiges of their imperious form from last season, so confident and consistent as they stormed through the season and ended Manchester City’s dominance.
The sweeping summer transfer changes have left something to be desired, and it’s clear that Liverpool have joined the crowded race for Bournemouth striker Antoine Semenyo.
Liverpool consider Semenyo alternative
Liverpool want Semenyo, but he is not the only talented winger on the market. Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Liverpool opened discussions with Ghanaian representatives last month but their interest has since cooled.
But that could now change, with Alexander Isak ruled out for several months after fracturing his fibula against Tottenham last weekend. Furthermore, uncertainty hangs over Mohamed Salah and his future at Anfield.
But while both Manchester giants are considered to be ahead of the race at this stage, Liverpool have always needed to find alternatives, and they have found one who possesses even more talent than the Cherries star.
According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool are in talks with the agent of Real Madrid icon Vinicius Junior, who has turned down a contract extension at Santiago Bernabeu and is set to leave next summer, ahead of the final term of his £400,000-a-week contract.
Chelsea and Manchester City are also keen, so sporting director Richard Hughes will need to put his negotiating skills to the test as he looks to complete a marquee signing to complete Liverpool’s frontline.
He won’t come cheap, however, with one report suggesting he is worth a whopping £131million. This would make him the most expensive player of all time in British football.
Why Vinicius Junior would be Liverpool’s best left winger since Mane
Vini’s soon-to-expire contract also means he could be available for a reduced fee of £80m, which is not too much higher than Semenyo’s valuation, with his £65m release clause active during the first ten days of the January transfer window.
Hailed as a “superstar” of a striker by former Los Blancos teammate Luka Modric, Vinicius Jr is a rare striker, blessed with strength, speed and an aura in the final third that translates into trophies and important goals.
He has scored just five goals in La Liga this season – alongside eight assists – but bagged 41 goals in all competitions last year, when he was in his best game and feeling the love in the Spanish capital.
And even though the Brazil international finds himself out of form, he still ranks in the top 6% of peers in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, top 1% for progressive carries and top 4% for successful takes per 90, according to FBref.
A successful takeover is recorded when a player beats their opponent by carrying the ball directly in front of them while maintaining possession.
He would add directness and danger to Slot’s ranks at Liverpool, and his positional dynamism could even see the 25-year-old take on the role of Liverpool’s new version of Sadio Mane, who was as sharp as a blade for the Reds, primarily a left winger but with skills that translated across the entire front line.
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Vinicius Jr – Career Stats by Position |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Position |
Applications |
Goals + Passes |
|
Left wing |
303 |
90 + 79 |
|
Center forward |
64 |
29 + 16 |
|
Right wing |
15 |
3 + 2 |
|
Attacking midfielder |
2 |
2 + 1 |
|
Dates via Transfermarkt |
||
Mané scored 120 goals in 269 appearances for Liverpool, and he won the gamut. Like Vini Jr, he had a wide repertoire of skills and was excellent on the big stage. Both players played and scored in the Champions League finals.
Luis Diaz is missing on Merseyside this season, having been sold to Bayern Munich in August, but Mane was a grade above, and he would be born again in the form of not Semenyo, but Vini.
Light-footed and invariably lively in the final third, Mane was a crowd pleaser, and his personality on the pitch helped endear him to the Anfield crowds. You’d think Vinicius Jr would do the same.
Mane was a unique winger, deadly in front of goal, fiery and combative too. Vinicius Jr shares interesting attributes with former superstar Jurgen Klopp, and he would be the perfect talent to improve Liverpool’s ranks in 2026.
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