Liverpool Don’t Need a New Striker This Summer, Says John Barnes

With the painful 2020-21 season now in the past, we enter the three months of intense speculation over what Liverpool will do during the summer transfer window. Central defense and a midfield spot vacated by Georginio Wijnaldum’s departure have topped the lists. But many have also wondered about Liverpool’s attack, which faced all sorts of problems this past year and is led by the front three who are approaching age 30 almost simultaneously. True fans will have noticed TLO’s writers bringing this up in the annual review.

One person isn’t worried however, and that’s former Liverpool star John Barnes, as reported by Goal.

In response to speculation that Liverpool may make a move for Tottenham Hotspur frontman Harry Kane, Barnes said, “Liverpool don’t need to buy a striker this summer. They have players who will score plenty of goals already.

“Everyone wants Harry Kane, if he is available and teams need a player like him, but this isn’t someone that Liverpool need so he won’t necessarily be on their radar.”

He believes that Liverpool could divert their striker budget elsewhere since Diogo Jota is now a formidable threat in attack, and can step in whenever needed.

“Liverpool have got Diogo Jota, who can play up front, as well as Sadio Mane”, he said.

“They will only need to sign a new striker if they lose the current striking options they already have.

“Don’t forget Divock Origi is still there too, so they have plenty of striker solutions able to play at the club.

“Liverpool have signed a centre-back and depending on whether Xherdan Shaqiri or Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain go, potentially another midfield player. A striker is not top of their wanted list for the summer window.”

While Liverpool do need to pad up the backline and midfield, we all saw what happened this past year when Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah seemingly forgot how to finish chances (despite the latter’s brilliance individual performances). With that, the threat of injury, and the possibility of AFCON taking up Mane and Salah’s time during the winter, all bets are being placed on Jota, who has his own injury niggles, a massively underperforming Divock Origi, and an inexperienced Harvey Elliott (assuming he will be allowed first-team playing time).