Arne Slot is Set to Receive a $122M Solution to Liverpool’s Major Transfer Dilemma

Liverpool’s key players have been left behind for their Champions League clash with PSV Eindhoven, but this could present a significant opportunity for Darwin Núñez and Federico Chiesa.

As far as European nights go, Liverpool’s encounter with PSV Eindhoven is unlikely to be a memorable one.

Apart from the chance to secure top spot in the Champions League’s league phase, Wednesday’s result in the Netherlands holds little significance for the Reds. Arne Slot has acknowledged this and has opted to leave nearly all his star players at home.

There will be no Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konaté, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Mohamed Salah, or Luis Díaz in action. Although Slot attempted to downplay their absence, it is almost certain that all nine players will start on Saturday against Bournemouth.

However, this does not mean Wednesday’s match is entirely meaningless. Cody Gakpo is eager to face his former club, having chosen to travel rather than remain in Liverpool with some of his teammates. Additionally, several young players will be looking to impress their head coach in hopes of securing a future role in the squad.

For two of the more senior players making the trip to Eindhoven, the match could be particularly crucial—perhaps even shaping Liverpool’s plans for the summer.

There is no denying that this season has been underwhelming for both Darwin Núñez and Federico Chiesa. For different reasons, the duo currently rank fifth and sixth in Liverpool’s attacking hierarchy.

Núñez, in particular, has struggled to put concerns over his finishing to rest, having managed just six goals in 29 appearances across all competitions. Since his club-record £85m (€101m/$106m) move from Benfica, doubts have lingered over his ability to deliver consistently.

Now in his third season, it appears that many fans have made their final judgment on him, and a summer departure would not be surprising.

However, his late double against Brentford recently demonstrated his potential value. The challenge for him now is to make such performances a regular occurrence rather than an exception.

Chiesa’s £12.5m (€14.9m/$15.6m) transfer from Juventus in the summer appeared to be an obvious choice, despite lingering concerns over his injury record. However, those fitness issues have arguably posed a greater challenge than initially anticipated.

With only eight appearances so far—just one of which has been from the start—he has yet to show the form that made him a standout performer at Euro 2020. Given that he is competing with Salah for a spot on the right, he may need to capitalise on his opportunity on Wednesday, provided he gets the chance.

Both Núñez and Chiesa must demonstrate their ability to step up for Liverpool, especially with Salah’s future still uncertain. If the Egyptian departs Anfield in the summer, it would create a significant void in Slot’s squad.

There have been reports linking both Núñez and Chiesa with potential exits, but if Salah does leave, would Liverpool really want to make such drastic changes to their attacking options by offloading two more forwards?

The responsibility now falls on these two players to prove they can fill Salah’s role and, in doing so, potentially provide Liverpool with a solution to one of their biggest dilemmas ahead of the summer.

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