Arne Slot has suggested Darwin Nunez will be a big part of his plans at Liverpool this season and said he intends to play with a ‘real striker’.
Liverpool warmed up for the Premier League season with a 1-0 win over Real Betis on Saturday, with Slot’s side lining up against the Spaniards without a recognised forward.
Harvey Elliott and Dominik Szoboszlai operated as the furthest players forward, though Slot said the tactical approach was out of necessity rather than choice.
Nunez is yet to return after representing Uruguay in this summer’s Copa America, while Cody Gakpo offers an alternative option and reached the semi-finals of Euro 2024 with the Netherlands.
Nunez has been linked with a potential exit after mixed couple of seasons at Anfield, but Slot’s stance on using an out-and-out number nine offers encouragement ahead of the new manager’s first season at the helm.
“I think during the season you will see us play with a real striker,” Slot said at a post-game press conference.
“But at this moment we have no one available. With Dom (Szoboszlai) and Harvey (Elliott) we have two number tens so we put them in the positions they will play this season. That was one of the reasons we played with a double ten instead of a striker. That is maybe out of necessity.”
