Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo were Liverpool’s two marquee signings last season, as the club spent over £100 million to bring those players to Anfield. Nunez arrived in the summer from Benfica, while in January, Cody Gakpo signed from PSV Eindhoven.
Jurgen Klopp will have been pleased with the impact both players made in the 2022/23 Premier League in what was their debut campaigns in England. However, he will be expecting the attackers to deliver more next season, as Liverpool bid to improve on their fifth-place finish.
Nunez scored 15 goals in all competitions last season, with nine goals coming in the Premier League. He found the back of the net on his debut in the Community Shield against Manchester City at Wembley, as reported by the BBC. The Uruguayan also scored on his Premier League debut in a 2-2 draw with Fulham.
NUNEZ fires Liverpool in front! 🔴 pic.twitter.com/Rf1IhYIxvJ
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) February 18, 2023
Klopp has likened Nunez to his former Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski. He believes the Liverpool number 27 will flourish at the club, with the best still to come. A toe injury and the World Cup were two factors that interrupted his debut season. Unfortunately for the striker, his country did not progress any further than the group stage in the competition in Qatar.
Gakpo had even less time than Nunez in his opening season at Liverpool, as he only arrived in January. The Dutchman scored seven Premier League goals in what was a decent return for half the campaign. He moved to Anfield on the back of an excellent World Cup, scoring three goals in the tournament.
As reported by Reuters, the 2022 Dutch Footballer of the Year scored against Everton in the Merseyside Derby earlier this year, which immediately made him a fan’s favourite at the club. With a full pre-season this summer, he is likely to be ready to shine from week one next season in a Liverpool shirt.
Klopp Will Be Hoping to Carry Momentum into New Campaign
Despite missing out on Champions League football next season, Klopp will have been delighted with the way his players finished the 2022/23 Premier League campaign. They were unbeaten in their final 11 games, winning nine matches on the spin between the 17th of April and the 15th of May, including victories over Tottenham, West Ham and Brentford.
Klopp will be encouraging his players to carry that momentum into the new Premier League season. If they are to challenge Manchester City for the title again, they will need a better start than they got 12 months ago.
As of the 21st of June, Liverpool are 8/1 with Betway for the 2023/24 Premier League title. They are second best in the outright market behind the defending champions, which indicates they are the most likely to offer the sternest challenge to Guardiola’s side.
In Europe, Liverpool will be competing in the UEFA Europa League. The last time they were in that competition they reached the final in 2016, losing to Sevilla in the final. They lifted the trophy in 2001 when it was branded as the UEFA Cup, completing a treble that season.
Mac Allister Should Settle Immediately into Klopp’s Side
Liverpool have made one notable signing so far in the summer transfer window. They have signed Brighton midfielder Alexis Mac Allister, for a fee reported to be in the region of £35 million. The Argentine has been in the Premier League for four years now, and he has impressed with each campaign.
🇦🇷 @alemacallister played an hour of @Argentina‘s 2-0 victory over Australia earlier today 👌 pic.twitter.com/gO3vVB5sAI
— Liverpool FC (@LFC) June 15, 2023
Mac Allister has played 98 Premier League games so far in his career, so he knows what the English league is all about. After losing James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita, he adds some quality in midfield.
The former Brighton player joins Liverpool as a FIFA World Cup winner. He was an integral part of his country’s success last December when they beat France in the final. There was interest across Europe in his services, but he chose the Merseyside club. Liverpool fans will be hoping he has the same impact at the club as Javier Mascherano did between 2007 and 2010.
Klopp’s side begin their 2023/24 Premier League campaign against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on the 13th of August. Less than seven days later, they will host Bournemouth in their opening game of the season at Anfield.