The Saudi Arabian interest in Darwin Nunez is real – but Liverpool fully puts back the striker and their attitude is avid: he is not for sale.
Liverpool Confidential understands that NASSR has already made approaches to sign Nunez in January, but these were quickly rejected because the Premier League leaders consider him centrally in their plans.
In recent weeks alone, he scored a brace from the bank to win the match in Brentford and set strong impressions against Bournemouth and Tottenham.
Slot has a considerable amount of time dedicated to Nunez on the training field. There is a conviction that the striker could improve, but Slot has also made adjustments while looking for a tactical way to involve his No. 9 more.
The Dutchman said last week: 'He has indeed been better. In general we use the No 9 better and better than at the start of the season.
“We used to be quite dependent on our wing players, but now we are starting to use our No. 9 more and more.”
The Saudi Pro League is not deterred by the reluctance of Liverpool to sell and is expected to continue their pursuit in the summer. Sources in the Gulf State have told confidentially that the competition in 2025 is planting a large investment across the board.
Al Nassr already employs Liverpool -legend Sadio Mane, as well as Jhon Duran after a relocation of £ 64 million in January in Aston Villa. Other foreign stars in their line-up are Aymeric Laporte, a five-time Premier League winner at Manchester City, former Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic and, of course, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Although the feeling is externally that Nunez is struggling in Anfield, this is certainly not a view in the building and Liverpool continues to strive to get the best out of the man they have signed from Benfica for a first £ 63 million compensation in 2022.
Nunez's partner gave birth last week and he missed a few training sessions, but was part of the team in Plymouth in the FA Cup defeat on Sunday.
Big blow to affected morton
The young midfielder Tyler Morton will need surgery on a shoulder injury that can exclude him for three months can unveil confidentially.
It has been a frustrating season for the 22-year-old after last year on loan in Hull City of Championship and played with the now-prime minister League stars Jacob Greaves, Jaden Philogene and Liam Delap.
He could leave in the summer, but Liverpool preferred a sale and ruled a number of clubs from the running. Bayer Leverkusen was one of them and promised him an important role in the side of Xabi Alonso.
But the Anfield club wanted a permanent step for around £ 20 million, even though Leverkusen made the point that a season is playing for the German champions – which are in the Champions League – could increase its value.
Middlesbrough was interested last week in signing Morton on Deadline Day, but were not willing or able to stomp the required money.
However, what it is worth saying is that Liverpool is said to have been great with Morton. When it turned out that he would not leave in January, it was decided that he would have an operation on the shoulder injury he contracted against Southampton in December.
As a result, Morton, who is closed eight times for England under the age of 21, can fully recover for the summer – when it is largely expected, he will leave the club where he has reached seven of the seven years.
Liverpool tends not to place clear time scales in the event of injuries, but Morton will undergo surgery and must then undergo a cure with rehabilitation, so it will be on the sidelines for at least a few months.
Nyoni niggle costs head -children
Trey Nyoni remained on the theme of injuros for players in the first team, and was seen with a protective boot on his foot and only walking around with a protective boot.
It could explain why the 17-year-old was not part of the team for the UEFA Youth League exit of the Reds in Stuttgart on Tuesday afternoon, because the side of Barry Lewtas lost to punishment.
Although a better reason for his exclusion could be that Nyoni started on Sunday in Plymouth for the first team. He has been determined in the training sessions of Arne Slot.
Confidential understands that Nyoni is not seriously injured and the boot was pure as a precautionary measure after a knock.
Blades Eye Two Liverpool Loanese
High-Flyers Sheffield United Championship show interest in two of Liverpool's young talent on loan.
Owen Beck and Lewis Koumas flourish to Blackburn and Stoke and the knives respectively, they have put them on a long list of goals for the summer when they recover promotion to the Premier League.
Chris Wilder's long -term right -hand man Alan Knill knows the couple well after working with them for Wales, where he served as an assistant to Rob Page.
Koumas, son of former football player Jason, scored three goals and cut two assists for the potters, while the second cousin of Ian Rush is a fixed name for play-off robbers.
The chase of United probably depends on promotion, but the couple both play well and will be more interested in the summer.
Hats off for the bus drivers
Cody Gakpo may have won Liverpool's player of the month, but also saves a thought for those behind the scenes …
And a fascination that I currently have, thinks of 'the team behind the team' at top -level football clubs.
Even the parts of fitness experts and the masseuses are not – there is nowadays a specialist for everything – but those who are still unseen more than that. One that is worth emphasizing this week is the bus drivers.
When I made the short trip back to my Cheshire house from Kirkby on Friday afternoon after the press conference of Arne Slot, I drove along one of the Liverpool teams on my way to Plymouth.
They were then present at the airport of Exeter on Saturday afternoon when the players and the first team staff flew to the southwest and were picked up from the runway and brought them to their base for the weekend in the Plush St Mellion Estate Resort in Cornwall.
Top clubs are criticized for flying because of the environment, but the reason for this is that it is better for players in terms of comfort and convenience, plus they will be able to eat with the right meal times and to spend less time with with A bus.
After following Liverpool at home and away this season, I know that a reasonable percentage of my life is being spent on fighting traffic and training a massacre on traveling to places such as Bournemouth, Southampton (twice this season), Newcastle and London (almost every weekend).
So honest game for those bus drivers. I took a mental memorandum from the number plate when I passed them on the M6 and smiled when I saw them pulling them in Plymouth's Home Park Stadium 48 hours later. I wonder if they have already made it at home!
Firmi-no in Saudi
Former Liverpool -striker Roberto Firmino is confronted with an uncertain future after he has been banned from the Saudi Arabian club Al Ahli.
The Brazilian was omitted from their 25-man team for the rest of the season after the club splashed the money on Porto Galeno for about £ 42 million in January. They also have Ivan Toney and Riyad Mahrez.
Only 10 foreign players can be registered with Saudi squadrons and so Ahli Firmino has left their plans.
It leaves the future of the 33-year-old doubt. Maybe he will follow in the footsteps of Neymar and return to his home country of Brazil to see his career?
King Kenny clocks the kilometers
Sir Kenny Dalglish had a busy weekend. 'King Kenny' was seen in the AXA Training Center on Saturday and saw Liverpool under the age of 18 from two goals to pull against Manchester United.
Liverpool was without key names such as Rio Ngumoha and Trey Nyoni, who were in the first team for the FA Cup defeat on Sunday in Plymouth Argyle.
And on Sunday Dalglish was in Home Park in the Directors' Box when Argyle Liverpool eliminated.
Good omen for traveling heads?
Liverpool has received a 32,196 tickets for the Carabao Cup final of next month against Newcastle with general access prices ranging from £ 41 to £ 108 for adults.
Fans of Liverpool will be on the east side of Wembley, where they were last year when Jurgen Klopp's side beat Chelsea in the final.
In the meantime, Newcastle is 31,939 tickets for the final and they will be housed in the west side of Wembley, where they were when they lost Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final two years ago.
In the meantime, an Essex police officer was fired after he admitted that he participated in tragedy that sang during a Liverpool match last year. Sergeant Tyler Coppin has received a three -year prohibition and did to pay £ 645 in fines.
Wark Confusion
No club has more legends who work the lounges to greet sponsors and business guests than Liverpool, but sometimes the passage of time can lead to incorrect identification of supporters.
Eighty midfield target machine John Wark, famous in his splendor for his jet black hair and accompanying thick dark mustache, has regularly made the long journey from his house in Suffolk to be a guest in Anfield.
Now bald with a thin wispy gray tache, the shot can see the funny side of being mistaken for another old boy in Liverpool.
“I love my travels and meeting the fans is great,” he reports. “I am often greeted with excitement and calls from” Bruce, Bruce “. They think I'm Bruce Grobbelaar! '
Speaking of former cult heroes, Sami Hyypia is the last to be confirmed as playing in the annual charity match when Liverpool -legends on March 22 in Anfield accept a Chelsea Foundation side side.
Eight previous legends in Anfield have collected more than £ 7.5 million and helped the Liverpool Foundation to increase the number of people they have supported to 127,000 last season.
Funds of the next legends competition will help to play a key role in the new strategy of LFC Foundation, which aims to double fundraising to achieve the ambition to help 500,000 people per season by 2030.
Red mystery
It is time for a little trivia in what we will call the red mystery, hopefully a bit of fun to end this column every week.
Liverpool plays Wolves on Sunday, so …
Thirteen players have recorded for both clubs over the years. Can you call them all?
Answers in next week's column and a quick disclaimer: this quiz format idea was stolen from my colleague Craig Hope and his excellent Newcastle Confidential Weekly Dispatch.
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