Liverpool are in the market for a new striker after scoring only 52 goals in the league last season. That is almost half of the amount they scored in the previous season when Luis Suárez and Daniel Sturridge ran riot.
They did announce the signing of Danny Ings but whether he’ll play regularly remains to be seen. Young Divock Origi is returning from his year-long loan at Lille but even he may have to adapt to the pace of the Premier League first before finding goalscoring form.
With free (or relatively low fee) singings being made so far, I am hopeful that Brendan Rodgers is saving most his budget for a new striker.
Here are some strikers that Liverpool may look to sign:
Christian Benteke is the name being touted as Rodgers’ main choice. His club Aston Villa are holding firm but after his manager Tim Sherwood revealed his release clause, clubs are starting to take note.
His release clause is believed to be circa £32 million and Liverpool may well end up paying that amount for him. A wrong move in my opinion.
Benteke scored 13 league goals last season, 11 of which came in nine appearances. He would have scored more as well if it wasn’t for his injuries.
The Belgian international is a good striker, he can finish, he’s powerful and he’s willing to put himself about but how different is he to a confident Mario Balotelli?
His style of play would require Liverpool to deliver crosses more frequently, and according to statistics from WhoScored, Liverpool produce the least amount of crosses per game in the league.
Alexandre Lacazette is the striker Liverpool should go all out for in my opinion; a fantastic finisher who was top scorer in Ligue 1 with 27 goals last season.
However, it does seem unlikely that he’ll move to a club not contesting in next season’s Champions League. Lyon president Jean Michel-Aulas emphatically ruled out (actually, he mocked us) the Frenchman signing for Liverpool by questioning his motives.
But that shouldn’t stop Liverpool at least testing the water with a significant bid for the player. His determination and work rate will be a welcome sight at Anfield and in my opinion; he could light up the Premier League and boost Liverpool’s faltering strike force.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is another name that Liverpool are being linked with. This Borussia Dortmund forward has an abundance of pace and is equally competent all across the front three.
In the 2012-13 season when he was with St Etienne, only a certain Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored more goals than him. He has a direct approach to the game and is always willing to use his pace to beat the last man.
Under Jürgen Klopp, he blossomed and even scored a hat-trick on his Bundesliga debut. But now with Klopp leaving, Auba may be weighing up his options and Liverpool could be the club to attract his interest.
Gonzalo Higuain is always linked to various Premier League clubs. This Argentine striker is a predator in front of goal and scores goals for whoever he plays for.
He bagged more than 100 goals for Real Madrid before moving to Napoli and finding the net over 50 times in two seasons under former Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez.
At the age of 27, he may not suit the FSG policy but maybe it’s time Liverpool bought players for the short-term, and not the long-term. He’s not unwilling to track back too as he has decent defensive capabilities.
Higuain has also starred for Argentina in the two World Cups he’s played in (2010 and 2014) scoring five goals. He would be a safe option for Rodgers.
Carlos Bacca was in brilliant goalscoring form for Spanish side Sevilla last season scoring 20 goals in the league. He also played a starring role in the Europa League final with two goals against Dnipro.
The 28-year-old is proving to be a clinical finisher. For a nation that boasts the strike force of Radamel Falcao and Jackson Martinez, Bacca has managed to break into the national team making over 15 appearances.
He comes alive in the box and pounces on defensive mistakes. However, he has recently said that he’s happy to stay at Sevilla but do not be surprised is certain clubs are making bids for him.
